Prosthetic limbs can be adapted to help the user in many different activities such as playing the guitar or taking part in sports- but they have now entered the digital age after a request made to the NHS Exeter Mobility Centre asked them to incorporate a mobile phone for the first time.
Opcare Prosthetist Dave House received the unusual request from Trevor Prideaux, who was born without his left arm and after nearly fifty years of wearing a forearm prosthetic found that it was not suited to take advantage of the increasing use of smart phones, which feature a QWERTY keypad.
Specialist AHPs and technicians at the Centre worked together to produce a solution for Trevor- a trans-radial prosthetic arm with a smart phone docking point. They created a flush mounted handset cradle with a simple ‘one-handed’ release system.
It was essential that the design maintained the integrity of the prosthesis, not compromising the components or strength. The mobile phone slots in smoothly and securely, resting on rubber strips that absorb shock and prevent the phone from moving within the prosthesis.
“It’s brilliant, it could not have turned out better,” says Trevor. “I can now take calls and send texts just by using my one hand whilst the phone sits in my arm, it has been really useful. I think lots of people with prosthetic arms would benefit from this.”
