Larry-G
29-10-11, 09:25
http://1.2.3.13/bmi/www.cnet.co.uk/i/c/blg/cat/mobiles/prosthetic-arm-phone-dock.jpg
An enterprising chap has had his prosthetic arm turned into a dock for his Nokia C7, the Telegraph reports.
50-year-old catering manager Trevor Prideaux was born without his left arm, and was used to having to balance his mobile on a surface or on his prosthetic limb to use it.
But now using the touchscreen blower is much easier, thanks to a hollowed-out portion of his prosthetic arm that snugly houses his Nokia C7. Prideaux sought help from medical pros and communications bods at Nokia to have the special arm built.
Prideaux reportedly contacted Apple to try and get hold of a blank iPhone casing to test out, but he says the Cupertino company "refused to co-operate".
A prototype of the prosthetic limb was whipped up in just five weeks, using a laminated fibre cast of the phone built into the limb to ensure a snug fit.
"I can now take calls and make texts just by using my one hand, while the phone sits inside my arm," Prideaux told the Telegraph. "People who have had motorbike crashes and soldiers who have lost limbs -- they could all benefit from this."
It's true that trying to use a smart phone with just one hand is a trial, especially if it's got a really big screen, which seems to be the trend at the moment. We're glad someone seems to have found a solution that works.
How accessible is your tech? Should companies do more to make their gadgets accessible to people with disabilities? Let us know in the comments section below
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/man-has-phone-dock-built-into-prosthetic-arm-50005827/
An enterprising chap has had his prosthetic arm turned into a dock for his Nokia C7, the Telegraph reports.
50-year-old catering manager Trevor Prideaux was born without his left arm, and was used to having to balance his mobile on a surface or on his prosthetic limb to use it.
But now using the touchscreen blower is much easier, thanks to a hollowed-out portion of his prosthetic arm that snugly houses his Nokia C7. Prideaux sought help from medical pros and communications bods at Nokia to have the special arm built.
Prideaux reportedly contacted Apple to try and get hold of a blank iPhone casing to test out, but he says the Cupertino company "refused to co-operate".
A prototype of the prosthetic limb was whipped up in just five weeks, using a laminated fibre cast of the phone built into the limb to ensure a snug fit.
"I can now take calls and make texts just by using my one hand, while the phone sits inside my arm," Prideaux told the Telegraph. "People who have had motorbike crashes and soldiers who have lost limbs -- they could all benefit from this."
It's true that trying to use a smart phone with just one hand is a trial, especially if it's got a really big screen, which seems to be the trend at the moment. We're glad someone seems to have found a solution that works.
How accessible is your tech? Should companies do more to make their gadgets accessible to people with disabilities? Let us know in the comments section below
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/man-has-phone-dock-built-into-prosthetic-arm-50005827/