“What happens if we address a missing limb as a blank canvas rather than a disability?”
This is the question that KIDmob is asking with its Autodesk-sponsored Superhero Cyborg project, and it turns out that when you pose it to children, they come up with some of the most creative and out-and-out fun answers imaginable.
Jordan Reeves for example, the girl in the above video, designed and built a prosthetic attachment that functions solely as a glitter cannon. It’s named “Project Unicorn,” and it blasts glitter out of five separate barrels thanks to an ingenious design that uses a band trigger wrapped around five manual air compressors. The distance the glitter flies isn’t quite there yet, but Sam Hobish, one of the designers at Autodesk, says that he’s “been talking to [his] colleagues in electronics and materials development about ways… to create some kind of pressurized system that shoots out sparkles more effectively.”
The project focuses on children between the ages of 10 and 15, and provides those who were born with limb differences with opportunities to develop their own prosthetic limbs, according to their own imaginations. Many of the parts used to bring the custom limb designs to life are 3D-printed, which means that these prosthetics will be able to grow up with their users much more effectively—and much more cheaply—than their classically made counterparts.
On top of providing children with limb differences the opportunity to develop their own prosthetics, the Superhero Cyborg project also introduces participants to tons of cool tech, like 3D modeling and digital fabrication. So everybody watch out, ’cause there may be a new tech-based Justice League or Avengers squad coming up soon, and it’s going to be dazzling!
What do you think about the Superhero Cyborg project? And how many glitter cannons would you ideally have in your sparkle arsenal? Let us know in the comments section below!
—
HT: Fast Company
Images: Born Just Right
