Some Cal Poly engineering students are building another student a new left hand.
Engineering students Emma Caringella, Dawn Veditz and Cameron Yartz agreed to build a new prosthetic for their classmate Madeline Everson as their senior project.
Yartz says they wanted to make a difference in Everson’s life.
“This was all our first choice,” Yartz said. “We actually want to deliver a cool device for Maddie at the end of all of this, so let's actually work hard at this.”
Everson likes to lift weights, but she was born without a left hand. She said she used her old prosthetic to help her at the gym, but it began to break after using it for six years.
“It's really just something that can grab something which is kind of the biggest limitation with my hand, and so when I am able to go in with my prosthetic and do the exercises, I think it's really rewarding for me,” Everson said.
Everson works as a sponsor for the project. Since she has an engineering background, she gives the team feedback when needed. They’ve since made about four prototypes of the device.
As they approach their last quarter working on the project, they’re finishing up the final version.
Their senior project is funded by a Cal Poly SLO lab called, Transforming Engineers Through Community Hands-On Engagement, or TECHE, which focuses on helping people with disabilities.
