Father uses 3D printer to make bionic arm for son

A man with no technical background has built a bionic arm for his son using a 3D printer.

Ben Ryan's son Sol, two, had to have his forearm amputated beneath the elbow after being born with a blood clot in his left arm.

The family were told they would have to wait several years for Sol to be fitted for a hi-tech prosthesis, but Ryan decided to take matters into his own hands.

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"It was likely to be three years before he could be fitted for an electric device. I thought I could do better for my son," he told the Daily Post.

"Newer technologies are often unsuitable for children under three and there is evidence that the earlier function can be introduced the better.

"By encouraging him to use both arms during this period of early brain development, we believed Sol would become more likely to adopt prosthetics later on."

Ryan, a former psychology lecturer from Anglesey, began studying product design and 3D printing technology. Within two months he had built his first prototype, a hydraulic hand and forearm which was "inspired by how spiders move their legs using fluid pressure".

Fitting the arm required another innovative solution. Ordinarily, the prosthetic would be made to precise measurements obtained using Bangor University's Artec scanner. However, as Ryan realised the toddler would be unlikely to stay still long enough for the sensitive machine, he used a £20 Microsoft Xbox Kinect scanner plugged into his laptop to scan Sol's arm while he was asleep.

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The bionic arm has been so successful that Ryan has set up his own company, Ambionics, to further explore and develop prosthetic limbs suitable for infants and toddlers.

He is working with Paul Sohi from software company Autodesk, who created the world's first 3D-printed sports prosthesis for Paralympic cyclist Denise Schindler.

Sohi said: "It is amazing that, despite Ben having no background in product design, he's taught himself enough to create something that will not only help his own son Sol, but potentially lots of others facing the same challenges too."

Ryan has set up a crowdfunding website to raise money towards his research and development.