Just imagine life with no arms … how would you cope? Ghanim Al Shnen has been a beacon of positivity as he undergoes a world-first set of procedures where man and machine combine.
The left arm, which was amputated below the elbow, is the simpler of the two as there was more surviving muscle to work with.
Electrodes and software in the robotic arm recognise those signals and assign them the task of opening the robotic arm. To Al Shnen, it simply feels like he is opening his hand. "It's a completely different procedure and maybe 100 times more complex, but it's the same philosophy — he thinks about moving his thumb and the thumb will move," Professor Al Muderis explains.For now, Ghanim Al Shnen is just happy to be able to perform simple tasks such as drinking, eating and brushing his teeth — tasks most of us take for granted.
There are limitations. The arms require regular charging and they are not waterproof, so he will always need help bathing.
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