By Rod Mills
The Express
HIGHLANDS, Scotland — A firefighter who lost his arm in a coach crash has become the first person to be fitted with a pioneering bionic replacement.
And Ian Reid is delighted that his new limb offers him the hope of getting back to work.
The father of three had tried various artificial limbs after losing his left arm six years go in a holiday bus crash in Gran Canaria, which killed his wife Alison, 31. But he said none was flexible enough until he tried the i-LIMB Pulse, which has fully flexible digits.
As well as coping with everyday tasks such as tying shoelaces and doing up a belt, the arm has an iron grip option which offers vice-like power.
His progress impressed fire chiefs in the Highlands so much that the 37-year-old, from Thurso, Caithness, is hoping to go back to work.
Mr Reid said: “The i-LIMB Pulse is a very exciting technology development, particularly for someone like myself, who is looking to get back to a level of duty in the fire service.
“The pulsing effect, increased robustness and range of grip features will hopefully give me the increased level of function I’m looking for.”
The firefighter said the life-like limb now meant passers-by no longer stared at him. He added: “Doctors felt a prosthetic device wouldn’t give me anything more. It was a terrible-looking injury, like out of a horror movie. Now people have stopped staring.”
Livingston-based company Touch Bionics said the new device offers users an “unparalleled degree of flexibility”.
The i-LIMB Pulse will be featured at a trade show in Leipzig, Germany, next week. The makers launched the i-LIMB Hand in 2007, saying it was the world’s first commercially available bionic hand.
With five independently controlled fingers, the prosthetic device has now been fitted to more than 1,200 have patients worldwide.
Users, who control the device by flexing the muscles on the remaining section of their arm, will also be able to programme the prosthetic hand’s settings via a wireless Bluetooth connection.
Patients can choose from a range of coverings, including a natural-looking “livingskin” option.
Stuart Mead, chief executive of Touch Bionics, said: “Having experienced over three years in the market with the i-LIMB Hand, we have gathered unparalleled insight into the needs and requirements of users of upper extremity prosthetic devices.”
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