An amputee who lost his fingers in a work accident is thrilled to be back doing everyday tasks - after being fitted with intelligent 3D-printed fingers. <br /><br />Ex-lorry driver Michael Altheim, 52, had four fingers on his right hand amputated after a work accident - but has now finally had his independence restored.<br /><br />British company Open Bionics had fitted Michael with a state-of-the-art Hero Gauntlet - making him the first person in Germany to have 3D-printed fingers.<br /><br />Michael is now looking forward to returning to his beloved hobby, fishing, as well as merely being able to grip and hold everyday objects.<br /><br />He said: “I previously had partial finger solutions, but the weight was really heavy, operation minimal and it wasn’t waterproof.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />“When I slipped the Hero Gauntlet on and moved my joint and my fingers went, I thought in amazement, 'Oh yes, look there!'. <br /><br />"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."<br /><br />Michael was sanding a sports field ten years ago when a glove he was wearing became caught in the treadmill of the machine he was operating. <br /><br />The unfortunate accident meant he had to have four fingers on his right hand amputated. <br /><br />But ten years on, his custom-built Hero Gauntlet means he can now finally return to the everyday activities and hobbies he was forced to leave behind. <br /><br />Michael, from Frankfurt in central Germany, was particularly impressed by the speed at which he was able to grasp objects. <br /><br />"The new hand works perfectly without any delay," he said, adding that he was once again able to hold a shopping basket with one hand whilst using his free hand to select and pick up items. <br /><br />The space-age partial hand prosthetic works by flexing the wrist to control finger movement, and is custom-made for each wearer using 3D scanning, printing and modelling technology. <br /><br />It enables those born without fingers or those who've undergone partial hand amputation to regain their hand functionality. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Samantha Payne, COO and co-founder at Open Bionics, added: "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.<br /><br />"It’s pure joy to see this piece of engineering have an instant positive impact on activities Michael loves doing."<br /><br />Award-winning company Open Bionics is currently working with insurance groups across Germany to offer their technology to partial hand amputees. <br /><br />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.
