Bloke who misplaced fingers fitted with 3D ‘Hero Gauntlet’ – now he can maintain a pint

An amputee who tragically lost his fingers in a work accident is overjoyed to be back performing everyday tasks, thanks to intelligent 3D-printed fingers.

Former lorry driver, Michael Altheim, 52, had four fingers on his right hand amputated following a workplace mishap but has now regained his independence.

Open Bionics, a British company, fitted Michael with a cutting-edge Hero Gauntlet, making him the first person in Germany to have 3D-printed fingers.

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Michael is eagerly anticipating returning to his favourite pastime, fishing, as well as simply being able to grip and hold everyday items.

He shared: “I previously had partial finger solutions, but the weight was really heavy, operation minimal and it wasn’t waterproof.

“I could maybe fold a towel but that was it. I’ve never been able to properly hold a screwdriver or hammer, or use it for fishing.

“When I slipped the Hero Gauntlet on and moved my joint and my fingers went, I thought in amazement, ‘Oh yes, look there!

“And then we went on and on, trying out and adjusting everything. They got a ball, then a screwdriver… I could finally control the hardness of my grip.”

A decade ago, while sanding a sports field, Michael’s glove got caught in the treadmill of the machine he was operating, leading to the unfortunate accident that resulted in the amputation of four fingers on his right hand.

However, a decade later, his custom-made Hero Gauntlet has enabled him to return to the everyday activities and hobbies he had to abandon.

Michael, hailing from Frankfurt in central Germany, was particularly struck by how quickly he could grasp objects with his new hand.

“The new hand works perfectly without any delay,” he expressed, adding that he can now hold a shopping basket with one hand while using his other hand to pick up items.

The futuristic partial hand prosthetic operates by flexing the wrist to control finger movement. It’s custom-made for each user through 3D scanning, printing and modelling technology.

It allows those born without fingers or those who’ve undergone partial hand amputation to regain their hand functionality.

The waterproof and lightweight device is described as the difference between wearers being able to hold cutlery to cut their food or having to find an alternative method.

Samantha Payne, COO and co-founder at Open Bionics, said: “We’ve had so many requests from the limb difference community to design and develop a partial hand solution that offers function and comfort for all-day wear.

“It’s pure joy to see this piece of engineering have an instant positive impact on activities Michael loves doing.”

Open Bionics, an award-winning company, is currently collaborating with insurance groups across Germany to offer their technology to partial hand amputees.

Michael was the first patient to undergo a successful trial of the new technology, though the company revealed there are many more German citizens currently undergoing trials.

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