Award-winning 'superhero' prosthetic arm idea of local schoolboy, Noah Steele, brought to life by engineering company, PAC Group.
Local schoolboy, Noah Steele, won Overall Winning Design in Mid & East Antrim Borough Council's 'Activate Your Curiosity' competition, sponsored by PAC Group.
Noah was born with part of his right arm missing, and said he wanted to create ‘something special’ for children and adults like him. His innovative concept would see the arm equipped with a range of interchangeable attachments, using technology inspired by the Avengers’ Ant Man, which would be the ‘world’s first mind controlled robot arm’.
The Engineers at PAC Group were so impressed with Noah's innovative thinking, that they decided to try and bring his design to life.
The concept was first created as a CAD model using SolidWorks before being 3D printed in-house as a prototype using PLA material. The new prosthetic, based on Noah's original design, includes a Lego build-plate, a storage compartment with magnetic closure, two Lego build block attachments, and of course no superhero prosthetic would be complete without a Hulk hand attachment.
The finished prosthetic was manufactured using carbon fibre infused nylon by Onyx, which is almost twice as strong as ABS and temperature resistant up to 145°C. PAC Group client, AVX (and previous employer of Noah's father, small world!) kindly printed the final piece using a Markforged printer.
The finishing touches include an adjustable strap and internal foam cushioning with the aim of making the prosthetic more comfortable to wear.
Presenting Noah with the finished product based on his own design, and a Lego Avengers set to use with the build plate, Darren Leslie, Business Development Director at PAC Group, said:
"When we started to work on Noah's 'superhero' prosthetic, we conducted some research, and the team were really surprised that the prosthetic options offered to young people were so limited and restrictive, and that the options currently available don't reflect or make use of the new and emerging technologies and materials available."
"We're delighted to present Noah with a 'real life' version of his original design, and hope it inspires him to continue being creative and innovative. PAC Group are very proud to have delivered such a unique concept for a very special customer."
19 May 2023
PAC Group are delighted to announced a sponsorship deal for the next three seasons for the Northern Ireland Association of Cricket Umpires &...
10 May 2023
Taking steps to more environmentally sustainable solutions
10 May 2023
PAC Group joined fellow leading renewable industry company Everun recently to welcome plans for a £3bn investment by NIE Networks (NIEN) to upgrade...
21 Mar 2023
Northern Ireland stands on the cusp of major changes in how we generate our power, as global forces converge to shape a very...
02 Mar 2023
Northern Ireland has been without a government for a year and there is no indication that we will have one in place in...
04 Aug 2022
20 plus jobs in Bangor to be created in new business for Belfast based engineering group
PAC Group / Our Clients
Keep up-to-date with our latest news, innovations, and projects:
By browsing this site you accept cookies used to improve and personalise our services and marketing, and for social activity. Read our privacy policy for more about what we do with your data, as well as your rights and choices – including how to manage cookies.
Our Privacy Policy