Konami builds prosthetic arm for avid gamer

When avid video gamer James White lost his left arm in a grisly railway accident in London several years ago, video game developer Konami teamed up with leading robotics engineers to craft him an innovatively unique prosthetic.

Last time we checked in on White’s progress last November, Konami and prosthetics designer Sophie De Oliviera Barata intended to design the arm similarly to the prosthetic worn by the protagonist in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

After spending the past six months on the project, White’s prosthetic is complete — and it’s even more outrageous than originally thought.

Fitted recently at Barata’s studio, White’s prosthetic connects directly to his shoulder’s remaining nerves and muscles which control an articulated plastic hand installed to the end of the arm.

Like most prosthetics, sensors attached the skin surrounding his shoulder detect movements and send the necessary movements through the arm and hand.

Read also: Study reveals more Americans are staying off the internet over privacy worries

Standard procedure for prosthetics, sure, but it’s the arm’s extras which truly steal the show.

Designed and installed by a company called Open Bionics, White’s prosthetic boasts a working flashlight, a USB port built-in to the wrist for charging a smartphone, a laser light, digital watch, and best of all: a fully functioning drone.

That’s right, not only did White regain use of his left arm with the help of Konami and a team of world-class prosthetics designers, but his new arm features an operational UAV that he can fly whenever he wants.

“I didn’t want to look like the Terminator because my job involves talking to doctors about the drugs they use, I didn’t want to look as if I’m going to kill someone,” White told the Daily Mail.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now