While we often joke about robot overlords around here, there’s no denying that robotic prosthetics are rapidly improving all the time, getting cheaper and better, thanks to engineers willing to push the boundaries. The latest person to get a better quality of life is Wyatt, a 12-year-old who lost his arm as a newborn and is a huge fan of Blue Man Group.
Wyatt, when asked what kind of arm he wanted, asked for a Blue Man Group arm. His parents contacted the troupe about it, and they responded by working with e-NABLE to build him a custom arm. They took it one step further, though, by pretending his mom had won a contest to see the group backstage; he didn’t know he was getting a new arm until it was rolled out in a special case.
It’s a reminder that these prosthetics are more than tools to the people who use them. They’re life-changing moments, and important work. And if that weren’t enough, it’s a pretty cool arm to boot.