James Young's story begins like many others: with an accident. That's how he lost his left arm and left leg. But thanks to The Alternative Limb Project, an initiative funded by Konami, James received a bionic arm prototype inspired by Metal Gear Solid V. The BBC also created a documentary about the process called “Bodyhack: Metal Gear Man”.
When we talk about disabilities, something that often appears in our articles is the desire to eradicate the wheelchair with the help of exoskeletons. However, technology is also completely changing the way prosthetics are designed. Slowly, hooks and wooden molds are giving way to advanced bionic systems, merging everything from mind control to 3D printing. Sooner or later, bionic prosthetics will reach such a level of complexity that they can almost completely restore the function of a real limb, and at that point we might be able to explore other aspects, like aesthetics. That said, let's look at the bionic arm that young British man James Young received through the Alternative Limb Project, and none other than Konami.
Weighing nearly five kilograms, it's clear Young can't wear the arm 24 hours a day, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. Beyond connecting to the nerves and muscles of his shoulder, the bionic arm has one of the best designs we've seen, definitely inspired by the bionic arm Venom Snake shows in “The Phantom Pain”. The arm comes with several “extras”, including a flashlight, a USB port to charge mobile devices, a watch, and even a dedicated drone, but we have no doubt in saying it is not an ornament. Its precision level allows Young to pick up objects as small as a coin.
As we mentioned above, the arm is a prototype, and it will require a significant amount of maintenance for Young to keep using it, but this is just the beginning. Everything learned with this design will surely be implemented in future models, which Young himself might access in a few years. There are also those who talk about bionic arms as “upgrades” rather than replacements. If today Metal Gear Solid V can serve as inspiration for a bionic arm, will the day come when we say the same about Deus Ex or Syndicate?
