The 'amazing' engineer giving Aussie kids a helping hand
A Melbourne engineer, laid off during the demise of the Australian car industry, has turned his skills to creating extraordinary designs for disabled kids in need of a helping hand.
When Mat Bowtell was made redundant by Toyota in 2017 he experienced “fear and self-doubt”, but he found a purpose by pioneering a radical Aussie innovation – free prosthetics for people with missing limbs.
“When you chop off a finger, it still hurts, even though it’s not there,’ he told Yahoo News Australia.
Mr Bowtell was upset that children with missing fingers were going without prosthetics because their parents couldn’t afford the $9000 price tag.
The 38-year-old full-time volunteer used his redundancy payout from Toyota to create an innovative venture on Phillip Island, 141km outside of Melbourne.
Using a single 3D printer, he developed kinetic fingers with a material production cost of less than a dollar.
Using a prototype, Mr Bowtell helped a friend in Japan, Yusuke, play piano again, but his next step was more complicated – creating fully functioning kinetic hands for less than the price of a lunch.
Losing a hand has sent some of his clients into deep depression, but 3D prosthetics have allowed people to once again complete everyday tasks like pick up a can, play a violin and even use a skipping rope.
Free 3D Hands changing lives
The Free 3D Hands Facebook page has been inundated with support for Mr Bowtell’s life-changing work.
“Words cannot describe how extraordinary you are,” wrote one user.
Another person simply wrote, “Amazing”.
This week, Queen Elizabeth II will recognise Mr Bowtell’s voluntary work, presenting him with the prestigious Points of Light award.
“He has used his engineering knowledge to harness new technology to help people and enable them to have a better life,” British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell said.
Rather than profit from his work, Mr Bowtell has released his designs free on the internet, allowing the prosthetics to “reach people around the world that couldn’t access them before”.
Working with Melbourne University on a bionic arm
This week, Free 3D Hands has been registered as a charity which he says “is really exciting”.
Using a donation, Mr Bowtell has moved headquarters from a shed at his rented house to a warehouse where he and his team of volunteers are now running 18 3D printers.
He has gone from struggling to support himself to receiving worldwide recognition for his work.
“People are wanting to come on board and start collaborating.”
Mr Bowtell is now working alongside students from Melbourne University, devising a low-cost bionic arm.
He said a multi-function device would usually set a user back $40,000, but he is aiming to make one for $50 to $100 in parts so he can give it away free.
Those wishing to donate to Mr Bowtell’s charity or download a 3D limb can visit http://free3dhands.org.au/
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