This is a story that excites any fan of technology, but deep down, anyone who continues to believe in people's capacity for self-improvement. Its protagonist is David Aguilar, a young Andorran who is now eighteen years old. In that time, he has become a very special inventor, building a prosthetic arm out of Lego pieces.
Precocious and disciplined
David grew up with a malformation in his right arm, and his hand was reduced to a small stump . Despite the problems that this could entail, not only in terms of mobility, but also when facing the cruelty of many children, David was very clear that he was not going to sink.
Obsessed with Lego figures, his favorite toy, at the age of nine, he built his first prosthesis . Still impractical, but already displaying latent creative skills. The best was yet to come.
MK1 and MK2
It wasn't until 9 years later that David got to work on a more serious version of his project: MK1. The first complete arm with grip joint was built with Lego Technic, the most sophisticated part of Lego reminiscent of the classic Mecano. This model had quite a bit of stamina, it even allowed him to do push-ups.
David took just five days to assemble the Mk1 . Seeing the tremendous success, he considered going one step further and creating a more advanced model: thus the MK2 was born. Through a battery, this prosthesis allows automating movements, making certain processes, such as loading objects, simpler.
And that's how David Aguilar lives his days today: with a robotic arm made with Lego that allows him to regain lost mobility in his hand. He combines his studies with a love of mixing EDM music (his DJ name is Hand Solo). At his Institute, he is not just another boy: he is an example of intelligence and tenacity .
David has not stopped accepting himself as he is , he has only used his knowledge to make his life easier, and all with parts that can be bought in toy stores. We wish him the best of luck, and look forward to hearing more from him when he builds the MK3, should it happen. Will you maybe jump into creating a full-hand model?