What Chat GPT won’t tell you about my cool prosthetic arm – By Trace Wilson
4th October 2023
4th October 2023
Anyone who knows me on social media will know I love gaming, experimenting with 3D printing, and cosplay. Recently, another big part of my life has become prosthetics. And while I was testing GPT’s knowledge of prosthetics, according to the AI chat a cool prosthetic arm, is:
“one that not only serves its functional purpose effectively but also incorporates innovative design, technology, and aesthetics to make it visually appealing and potentially even inspiring. “
For someone with a limb difference, the Hero Arm is so much more than advanced technology wrapped in a cool design.
The Hero Arm is not just a cool prosthetic arm. It’s a beacon of self-expression, functionality, and style. One of the unique features of the Hero Arm is its removable magnetic covers, a feature that allows users like myself to easily switch covers to match our outfits, mood, or in some fun cases, cosplay characters.
As a cosplayer, I am in love with the idea of transforming into different characters from various universes, each with their unique styles, abilities, and stories. The Hero Arm propels my cosplay adventures to a whole new dimension. No longer constrained by the traditional perception of prosthetics, my bionic arm becomes an asset to my creativity. Whether I am embracing the role of a canonically limb-different or bionic character, or modifying my favorite characters to create interesting alternate versions, my Hero Arm is integrated into my costumes, adding authenticity and a futuristic edge to my ensembles.
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Like changing shoes or accessories, swapping out my Hero Arm covers lets me redefine my look and, by extension, my identity in a fun and personalized way.
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Just as my creativity impacts my ability to build new and exciting arm covers and attachments, my Hero Arm fuels my creativity. And around and around we go, resulting in some truly wacky ideas. As an example, I recently attended Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia. For the convention, I created two cosplays – one completely expected, and another completely out of this world. The former, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, is an amputee character with a bionic arm. When most anime fans picture bionic characters, Ed comes to mind. Building his automail arm as a cover for my Hero Arm was just the natural course of action.
My other cosplay, the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who, was spawned purely from my wild imagination. I 3D modeled, printed, and painted an arm cover inspired by the Doctor’s combination time machine/spaceship, the TARDIS. After all, the Doctor is a time-traveling, shapeshifting alien. Who’s to say one of his iterations won’t be limb-different? There are limitless possibilities when it comes to incorporating my Hero Arm into cosplay, and vice versa!
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Instead of perceiving amputees through a lens of limitation, people begin to recognize our resilience, adaptability, creativity and the technological advancements that empower us.
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Beyond the world of make-believe, the Hero Arm plays a crucial role in reshaping society’s perception of amputees. Cosplay with a bionic arm breaks down barriers and sparks conversations. When people see a cool prosthetic arm worn with pride and creativity, it challenges and expands understanding of disability. Instead of perceiving amputees through a lens of limitation, people begin to recognize our resilience, adaptability, creativity and the technological advancements that empower us.
In a world where amputees often grapple with self-consciousness and the feeling of ‘standing out’ for the wrong reasons, the Hero Arm grants us the freedom to stand out on our terms. By choosing how our prosthetic looks, we reclaim control and celebrate our uniqueness with pride and confidence.
The Hero Arm is more than a tool for physical empowerment; it’s a vessel for self-expression, self-love, and breaking down societal barriers. Cosplaying with this advanced prosthetic device enables me, and many others, to redefine our narratives as amputees, showcasing our creativity, strength, and the limitless possibilities of modern technology.
In the realm of cosplay and beyond, the Hero Arm helps to alter perceptions, instill understanding, and radiate empowerment for amputees everywhere. So, the next time you see a cosplayer with a bionic arm, remember the power and creativity that echoes in every step they take, in every character they embody, and in every story they tell.
Join us as we redefine the narrative together!
If you have a below-elbow or partial hand limb difference, register to find out more about the Hero Arm and try the technology for free at your local Open Bionics clinic.