3D Printed Iron Man Prosthetic Arm Includes LED Thruster

It's possibly the coolest prosthetic in existence, and it is made specifically for kids: a 3D-printed Iron Man glove that lets wearers channel their inner superhero. It is the latest beautiful example of creations being born from 3D-printing technologies, and though it isn't available on the mass scale (yet, at least), it can be ordered by those who need it from the designer Pat Starace. Best of all, the design isn't static — the prosthetic includes a working LED palm thruster, among other things.

According to the maker, he wanted his prosthetic to be awesome in look and function, and to have no visible components of a mechanical nature. On the side of the glove is an electronics module, which can be removed to put the glove on. When in place, the electronics module works in conjunction with whatever technology configuration the user wants.

The glove is designed to incorporate different types of hardware, among them being things like NFC or RFID. The glove featured above, as an example, has been fitted with an Arduino and a Lipo battery, as well as a USB port for charging the battery and Bluetooth for connectivity. Joining this is are red LEDs under the shield, which turn on when the hand is bent down, to simulate lasers.

When bending the hand upward, the thruster in the palm is activated and illuminates via LEDs, which spin in a fantastic animation. There's also voice commands, which are briefly mentioned in the video with the promise of more details in the future. Those interested in getting their own can contact the creator for more info.

VIA: Gizmodo