Culture

Prosthetic arm doubles as phone dock (photos)

Born without a left forearm, Trevor Prideaux used to use his smartphone by balancing it on his prosthetic arm or putting it on a flat surface. Now that his prosthetic has a built-in phone holder, things have gotten easier.

Leslie Katz

Leslie Katz led a team that explored the intersection of tech and culture, plus all manner of awe-inspiring science, from space to AI and archaeology. When she's not smithing words, she's probably playing online word games, tending to her garden or referring to herself in the third person.

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Christopher MacManus

Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.

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Leslie Katz

Christopher MacManus

Oct. 25, 2011 1:16 p.m. PT

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Prideaux and his prosthetic arm

Trevor Prideaux, born without his left forearm, used to use his smartphone by balancing it on his prosthetic arm or putting it on a flat surface. "It became clear that this piece of technology was not ideally suited to be used with only one hand," he told The Telegraph of smartphones.

So the catering manager and father of one from Somerset, England, came up with a better idea--integrating a smartphone dock right into his prosthetic device. Since he started wearing his custom-made prosthetic, calling and texting from his Nokia C7 has gotten a lot easier and more convenient.

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Prideaux's prosthetic

Determined to realize his groundbreaking vision, Prideaux visited an O2 phone store and shared his idea. He eventually made contact with Nokia and the Exeter Mobility Centre, a provider of disability services in his area that provided his past limbs.

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Prosthetic smartphone dock

Creators of the prosthetic smartphone dock, including Steve Gallichan, Les Street, and Sarah Bennett, worked on the fiberglass prototype for five weeks. "My Nokia C7 sits within my forearm, between my stump socket and the single knob rotary that holds my limb attachments in place," 50-year-old Prideaux explained.

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Prosthetic with phone next to it

When Prideaux gets a call, he can either hold his arm up to his ear or put the phone on speaker. He can also remove his Nokia device if he needs to.

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Prosthetic arm and Nokia phone

The custom-made fiberglass and laminate limb is believed to be the first with a mobile phone dock built in. "It is brilliant," Prideaux told The Telegraph, adding that he believes others who are missing a limb could benefit from the innovation.