It all began with a dream and the internet. From his bedroom, Easton LaChappelle at 14 years of age built a robotic hand controlled by a wireless control glove. He used LEGOs to back the device, motors from toy airplanes, fishing line for the tendons, and electrical tubing for the fingers.
Mr. LaChappelle entered the robotic hand into a the 2011 Colorado State science fair where he won third place. he says he was inspired upon meeting a 7-year old girl who was born without her right arm. Upon discovering that the prothesis cost $80,0000, he immediately began to work on a less expensive alternative.
LaChappelle had told 3D Printing Plan of the phone that he lists Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway and other machines, as a big inspiration. He also said that Kamen is working on a prosthetic limb, too, but that he plans to make a better one.
Now, a 19 year old recent high school graduate, has succeeded in building a $350 robotic arm that can be controlled with thoughts. But, catch this, he is doing this and showing everyone how to build it for free. His intention is to enable people who are missing an arm to be able to use the robotic arm and to do so at a more affordable cost than prosthetic limbs – which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Armed with no funds and only the World Wide Web, LaChappelle used the resources that were readily available from any teenager’s bedroom. LaChappelle contacted a popular YouTube user, Jeremy Blum, who fixed the programming code that allowed the control glove to wirelessly communicate with the hand. While having to keep the cost down, LaChappelle used the Nintendo Power Glove sensors.
When it was time to turn this hand into a fully-operational robotic arm, he discovered that a local 3D printing service would improve on his original design and make his dream of keeping the cost low a reality, but it would cost the teenager, $500. He was able to work with Mr. Blum who worked with MakerBot (a 3D printer company), who had access to its $1200 Thing-O-Matic 3D printer. Mr.Blum would print the parts that LaChappelle designed and would ship them to his home in Colorado.
Mr. Blum also taught LaChappelle how control the arms motors to stop in position that is desired, like when you might want to shake hands or throw a ball.
In a presentation at Ted in 2013, he was able to explain his whole process and how it was to avoid surgery to gain neurological control.
“That’s dangerous, and also costs a lot of money. I don’t have money to do that.” He said: “I wanted to find a compromise.”
Mr. LaChappelle recently developed an EEG headset that reads 10 different channels of the human brain. This allows an individual to control the arm with their own thoughts, which, LaChappelle feels adds a huge psychological benefit to users.
The latest version of this robotic glove is available for $350 and on his company’s website, UnlimitedTomorrow.com, you could download the instructions, designs, and software he used to build it, too. The guide shows you how to build the hand, elbow, and rotating joint. Instructions on how to build the shoulder will be released soon.
“You think you scare the prosthetic companies?”, the interviewer asks in the video.
“Oh, yeah.” LaChappelle replies smiling, “We’re probably gonna shut them down”.
Easton LaChappelle started a GoFundMe Campaign to raise money to expand his resources, he says, including “3D printers, material development, manpower, and testing equipment. This will all help contribute to getting this technology to the people who really need it. We will be keep this process personal and highlight individuals along the way.”
As of today, his campaign has raised $10,464.
La Chappelle latest Twitter shows he retweeted this 24 hours ago (embedded link)
Robotic Arm Files Made Available #CreativeCommons by @UnlimitedTmro & @EastonLaChappel – http://t.co/bqo8MhBiou pic.twitter.com/HcYLC1M5kE
— The New Bionics (@TheNewBionics) February 10, 2015
