Cyrille Thouvenin, a Boy with Autism, Invents at Age 13 a World First: the Flexy Hands Prosthetics

Prologue

Cyrille Thouvenin, a French teenager, has designed a colorful 3D printed prosthetic hand called Flexy Hand which was uploaded on MyMiniFactory. The 13-year autistic boy is passionate about 3D modeling and robotics.

An ingenious idea

Cyrille's older brother was born without a right hand. As a kid, this inspired him to come up with the idea of designing a comfortable, affordable, yet robust prosthetic hand that could assist people with hand disabilities in their day-to-day tasks.

According to his parents, he spent two weeks designing Flexy Hand using a free 3D modeling software called Blender. He then 3D printed the prototype of his design with the help of his father using a Prusa i3 MK3S printer. The final product is a lightweight and flexible prosthetic hand that is easy to put on and take off.

The Flexy Hand is made of 3D printed plastic and has a simple design, with no motors or electronics. It is composed of 13 parts that are assembled together using screws. The hand can be easily customized to fit the user's hand size and needs.

In December 2022, Cyrille decided to share the files for Flexy Hand on MyMiniFactory, a website for sharing 3D models. The files are available for free, so anyone with a 3D printer can make their own Flexy Hand.

Thouvenin’s invention showcases the potential of 3D printing to create affordable and accessible solutions for people with disabilities. It's a remarkable story of how one person's passion for 3D modeling and robotics can make a difference in the lives of others.

Recently, Cyrille has launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to raise funds to purchase 3D printers for his school and to create a website where he can share his designs and tutorials with other people.

If you are interested in learning more about Cyrille's story or would like to donate to his crowdfunding campaign, please visit his GoFundMe page.

References:

• MyMiniFactory: Flexy Hand
• GoFundMe: Build the Flexy hand, make it available to all
• 3DPrint.com: 13-Year-Old Boy Designs 3D Printed Flexy Hand Prosthetic

Cyrille Thouvenin