Five-year-old Jacob Taggart is a huge Star Wars fan with a physical disability. For Christmas, the MORE Foundation gifted him with a 3D printed prosthetic arm inspired by the Stormtrooper outfit.
Over the last couple of weeks, millions and millions of people have poured into their local theatre to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the latest addition to the iconic Star Wars franchise. While the film is likely to leave an impression on everyone (for better or for worse), one five-year-old fan will have a piece of the force with him for a lifetime.
Jacob Taggart is a kindergartener living in Phoenix, Arizona, and like many others kids, he’s an enormous fan of Star Wars. However, unlike most children, most of the fingers on his right hand aren’t fully formed, leaving him physically disadvantaged.
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That was until the Musculoskeletal Orthopedic Research and Education (MORE) Foundation gave him the Christmas gift of a lifetime. Last week, the local non-profit organization presented Jacob with a 3D printed mechanical prosthetic arm inspired by the Stormtrooper uniform.
MORE Foundation Uses 3D Printing to Give Young Child the Force
Back in September, the MORE Foundation announced a new program that utilizes 3D printing to create low-cost prosthetic hands for children in need. Jacob was recommended to the organization by one of his physical therapists.
Since he was a diehard Star Wars fan, the MORE Foundation decided to make his prosthetic arm special just for him. The device also includes rubber grips, enabling Jacob to pick up and grip heavier objects.
With his new Stormtrooper-like prosthetic, Jacob is now able to perform tasks he’s always wanted to do, but has never been able due to his disability. This includes baseball, writing with his right hand, and riding his bicycle, just to name a few.
The MORE Foundation hopes to create 3D printed prosthetics for at least 100 more kids in 2018. They will also help the Taggart family find a therapist who can help Jacob quickly adapt to his new hand.
As we’ve seen in many other stories, 3D printing has become an increasing popular alternative for the production of prosthetics. The technology not only makes the process more cost-efficient for the family or patient in need, but it also makes these devices completely customizable.
In Jacob’s case, his mechanical arm was able to be designed after one of his favorite Star Wars characters, making his new hand as gratifying as it is useful.
Source: USA Today
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