bionic-hand

Matthew James, 14, from Wokingham, using a zoom camera with both hand thanks to his new bionic limb. He being fitted with a state-of-the-art limb after he contacted MercedesGP and asked if they could sponsor him to wear the iLIMB made by Touch Bionics. A teenage Formula One fan has been fitted with a souped-up artificial hand by a Scots company after he offered to sell advertising space to Mercedes – on his prosthetic LIMB. Brave Matthew James, 14, who was born without his left hand, sent a cheeky letter to Ross Brawn, boss of F1 team Mercedes GP Petronas, asking for £35,000 to pay for a top-of-the range artificial limb. In return, shrewd Matthew said he would allow the company to sponsor the hand by putting the Mercedes logo on it – like ads seen on F1 cars. But Mercedes where so touched by Matthew’s ”intelligent and moving letter” they agreed to help him and teamed up with Livingston firm Touch Bionics, who create and fit hi-tech artificial limbs. Together they designed his own customised i-LIMB Pulse – the most advancedprosthetic limb in the world. The hand is so versatile Matthew can grip, draw pictures, tie his shoe laces and catch a ball. The teenager is also delighted to now be able to open a bottle top, hold an apple and operate a camera. The hand, made from high-grade plastic with a black silicone socket, literally plugs into Matthew’s arm. Two electrodes on the inside of the socket detect electrical impulses made by the muscles in Matthew’s lower arm. The signals are then beamed to a mini-computer in the palm which translates the messages into movements, replicating a normal hand. See SWNS story SWHAND. 14 Aug 2011.