Meet BioNick! A professional Santa fitted with a bionic arm
12th November 2024
12th November 2024
Mike Tindall, a 67-year-old US Veteran from Tennessee, is the first professional Santa in the world to be fitted with a bionic arm, just in time for the holiday season.
Mike is no stranger to creating magical moments for children, but this year will be extra special as he delivers presents to children with his bright red, futuristic bionic hand.
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When I first saw the red design, I knew it was perfect—it matches my Santa suit! I really appreciate the simplicity of controlling the arm. It’s lightweight and so much more comfortable than what I’ve used before. I love how easy it is to switch between grips without any hassle.
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After serving in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, Mike suffered a workshop accident that resulted in the amputation of his left-forearm. After recovering from surgery and rebuilding his life he followed his passion and became a professional Santa Claus with support from his wife who is also a Mrs Claus.
The retired veteran had spent years looking for a device to help him during the busy festive season. “I’ve been looking for something that is easy to use and can help me when I’m handing out presents, accepting letters, and meeting families,” said Tindall.
He said he found the perfect solution in the Hero Arm; an advanced, 3D printed multi-grip bionic arm for amputees aged 5 years old and up. The device fits Mike like a glove with sensors on the inside that read his muscle movement and convert those readings into bionic finger movements.
Mike said: “When I first saw the red design, I knew it was perfect—it matches my Santa suit! I really appreciate the simplicity of controlling the arm. It’s lightweight and so much more comfortable than what I’ve used before. I love how easy it is to switch between grips without any hassle.”
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When the kids saw the light flashing on my bionic arm I told them it’s a Santa tracker for Mrs. Claus so she can see where I am. They thought it was so cool.
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Just an hour after being fitted with his Hero Arm at the Open Bionics clinic in Austin, Texas, Mike set off on his Santa duties. His first action was to hold a cup of hot chocolate and dunk a cookie, before he checked his naughty and nice list, and began to unload presents from his Santa sack.
When asked about the reaction he had from children, Mike said: “When the kids saw the light flashing on my bionic arm I told them it’s a Santa tracker for Mrs. Claus so she can see where I am. They thought it was so cool.”
Read Mike’s latest interview with Amplitude magazine here where he talks about previous prosthetics and how he got into being a professional Santa.
Samantha Payne, co-founder of Open Bionics, the company behind the Hero Arm, expressed her excitement: “Getting to help Santa with his mission to deliver joy and merriment for children at the holidays has been so much fun. We’re so glad the Hero Arm has been able to help Santa with all his two-handed tasks and holiday preparations. Hopefully, we’re on the good list this year.”
Open Bionics uses innovative technologies such as 3D printing and 3D scanning to ensure each Hero Arm is custom-built and bespoke to the user.
If you are looking for an intuitive, lightweight myoelectric solution, let’s chat! We have multiple funding pathways available including insurance, grants, non-profit, reimbursement, crowdfunding support service to help cover costs.