Six-year-old Cooper shows off his new prosthetic hand with Mountwest Community and Technical College instructor Ted Triplett on Tuesday. Triplett’s students developed the hand and produced it using additive manufacturing. From design to production, the project took about three months.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — There is nothing 6-year-old Cooper can’t do.
Although born without a fully developed right hand, Cooper can tie his shoes, button his shirt, hammer a nail and pretty much anything else you ask of him, and it all got a little easier Wednesday with the help of Mountwest Community and Technical College.
Created with a 3D printer by students in Ted Triplett’s engineering design and technology program at Mountwest, Cooper received a fully-articulated artificial hand, which he is able to operate through wrist movements.
It will take practice to master, and he will have to get new ones as he grows, but Cooper has been waiting three months and he was ready to go.
“Every other day he asks, ‘When are we going to go get my hand?’ He’s been looking forward to this for a long time,” grandfather Randy said.
It was emotional for Cooper’s family, who filled the room with support for a little family member they care very much about. The family asked their last name not be used.
Grandfather Randy said with tears in his eyes that Wednesday’s experience was overwhelming…