9 Year Old Boy Is Youngest Ever To Be Fitted With Bionic Hand

Touch Bionics were back in the news this week, with 9 year old Josh Cathcart from Fife being the youngest ever person to be fitted with a bionic hand. He is also one of the first to receive the latest model from Touch Bionics, the i-Limb Quantum.

Speaking to the BBC, Josh’s mother spoke with great emotion of the difference it has already made to Josh’s life.

"Josh had been getting picked on and became quite withdrawn and upset, so we started looking for something a bit more advanced, something that moved.

So, we had chats with him and then went on the internet and came across this company. [Josh’s new bionic hand] gives him his independence, so he can now make his own food and tidy his own room."

Evidently delighted with his new found independence, Josh goes on to described some of the many things he can do for himself which only recently would have been impossible.

"I made myself a bagel yesterday. I can open bottles and packets with it, I can stack up blocks and I can build Lego with it."

Josh’s father proudly goes on to say how thrilled he was that Josh was able to get dressed unaided and as often seems to be the case, it’s the ability to complete seemingly small everyday tasks that is changing Josh’s life.

The Technology perspective

Touch Bionics has its roots within the NHS and has a long history of designing and fitting some of the most advanced bionic limbs in the world. They were catapulted into international fame when in 2012 videos of the so called “Terminator Arm” went viral online.

Josh has been fitted with the latest generation of bionic limbs, the i-Quantum, which is described as being stronger and more agile than its predecessors.

Speaking to the Guardian, Alison Goodwin, prosthetist at Touch Bionics, said:

“He’s the youngest we’ve fitted so far [with] the extra-small hand that we now have available. It’s been great to have the experience this week of fitting the youngest ever person with the i-limb hand.

It works from electrodes which are positioned on the surface of his skin within the socket of his prosthesis, so this is the custom-made part which is fitted on to his residual limb. When he tenses these muscles, the electrodes open and close the hand.

He’s not worked these muscles because he has not used this type of prothesis before, and obviously without having a hand he has spent about nine years not using those muscles. But he has developed them very well this week and has been working great with them.”

Obviously as he grows up he will have to be fitted with a new socket but Josh, who had previously experienced bullying at school, is now looking forward to life with his new hand and cannot wait to show it to all his friends.

Below you can see a short video demonstrating the abilities of the i-limb Quantum.

9 Year Old Boy Is Youngest Ever To Be Fitted With Bionic Hand

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