First man in the world fitted with 3D printed fingers outside of prototype testing
17th June 2024
17th June 2024
An ex-lorry driver from Frankfurt is the first person in Germany to be fitted with a novel 3D printed device called a ‘Hero Gauntlet’ after having his fingers amputated. The 3D printed fingers strap on to his palm and are controlled by his wrist motion, enabling him to experience gripping and holding objects for the first time since he lost four fingers a decade ago.
52-year-old Michael Altheim was at work when the glove he was wearing got caught in the treadmill of an industrial machine while sanding a sports field.
“
When I slipped the Hero Gauntlet on and moved my joint and then my fingers went – I thought in amazement “Oh yes, look there!” And then we went on and on, trying out and adjusting everything, then they got a ball, then a screwdriver.. I could finally control the hardness of the grip
”
After being fitted with the state-of-the-art fingers, Mr Altheim remarked at the speed he was able to grasp everyday objects “the new hand works perfectly without any delay” he commented as he was able to enjoy holding a shopping basket with his Hero Gauntlet and use his other hand to load groceries.
The active user will use his new 3D printed fingers when he’s out fishing, going on bike rides or just doing DIY around the house “I previously had partial finger solutions, but the weight was really heavy, operation minimal and it wasn’t waterproof. I could maybe fold a towel and that was it. I’ve never been able to properly hold a screwdriver or hammer, or use it for fishing” reflected Michael.
Michael’s new device works by flexing the wrist to control finger movement “When I slipped the Hero Gauntlet on and moved my joint and then my fingers went – I thought in amazement “Oh yes, look there!” And then we went on and on, trying out and adjusting everything, then they got a ball, then a screwdriver.. I could finally control the hardness of the grip” commented Michael.
The waterproof and lightweight Hero Gauntlet was custom built for Michael’s amputation using 3D scanning and 3D printing by British healthtech startup Open Bionics. “We’ve had so many requests from the limb difference community to design and develop a partial hand solution that offers function and comfort for all day wear. It’s pure joy to see this piece of engineering have an instant positive impact on activities Michael loves doing” commented Samantha Payne, COO, Co-founder at Open Bionics.
Open Bionics is currently working with insurance groups across Germany to offer this technology to partial hand amputees. Michael was the first patient to undergo a successful trial of the new technology and the company says there are many more German citizens currently undergoing trials for this technology.
