(Photo: ThisisEngineering RAEng/Unsplash)
DeKalb, IL — A high school robotics team in the southeast is changing the lives of many people worldwide with their creation of a 3D- printed custom prosthesis.
Pete Peeks was born without the full use of his right hand and was able to use both hands to hang Christmas lights outside of his house for the first time in his life with help from the robotics team.
The students behind the life-changing prosthesis are from Sequoyah High School in Canton, Georgia. The team has designs and 3D- printed custom prosthesis to send for free to people around the world who need them.
"The beauty of this project is that it can be done virtually and/or with limited contact,” said teacher Brent Hollers, according to CBS 46. “So, our goal is to still finish up these clients and take on new clients over the Christmas break.”
The team of 26 has extended their work outside of the U.S. to China and Algeria.
As clients benefit from the product, the students benefit by learning about the challenges others face and how technology can make a difference, said Daniel McCrobie, a student.
"Many of the prosthetics people can get the conventional way are very expensive, and even if you are fortunate enough to get coverage, children grow out of them like they grow out of shoes," McCrobie said, according to CBS 46.
The team is documenting their processes to pass onto future classes, Hollers said.
"We bring them in as a freshman, we get them hooked on an idea and they continue learning and helping," Hollers said. "And when they graduate, they've given back to their community."