Bionic-arm dad could be the UK’s top inventor
ALOVING dad who developed an artificial limb for his son using Xbox parts is now in the running to be named the UK’s top inventor – and secure £50,000.
Ben Ryan, from Anglesey, developed the bionic arm for his two-year-old son, Sol, using games console accessories and a 3D printer after doctors were forced to amputate the infant’s arm below the elbow when he suffered a severe blood clot at 10 days old.
The family were told that they would have to wait until Sol was at least a year old before the NHS could offer a prosthetic limb. But psychology lecturer Ben was not prepared to wait, and developed his own.
Ben, 41, from Menai Bridge, founded Ambionics specifically to help children like his son.
Now he has been announced one of 10 UK finalists for The Inventor Prize, run by innovation foundation Nesta and supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The 10 shortlisted entries will receive £5,000 to develop their idea and mentoring from Barclays Eagle Labs, who are providing access to facilities and equipment, and individual coaching.
The overall winner, who will be announced in September, will receive a £50,000 prize to help get their product to market.
As a former psychology teacher, Ben knew that the first two and a half years of a child’s life are crucial for brain development and learning. Yet 40-70% of children that age are not using prosthetics.
Using 3D printing and CAD software from Autodesk, the Ambionics project was born.
Ambionics has partnered with Warwick University School of Engineering and moves into the Menai Science Park in March.
Ben said: “I knew nothing about prosthetics or engineering. I started out by making a sponge arm for Sol when he was five weeks old. This allowed him to understand the length, reach and feel that his future arms would have and also encouraged hand-eye co-ordination.
“I added Velcro to the end of the sponge and to some of his toys, so Sol understood he could use the sponge arm to reach and pick up items around him. Then I taught myself how to use computer design software and began making digital prosthetics and testing hydraulic systems to control the grip.”