GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - In this fast-paced technology driven world, can you imagine not being able to type with both hands? For one Grand Rapids teacher it's the only way he could, until his students invented prosthesis for a hand he lost 40 years ago.
Mike Martin is a religion teacher at Grand Rapids Catholic Central. "It's not what you lose, but what you've got left that counts," explained Martin.
Martin lost his left hand in a punch press accident 40 years ago. He adapted but admits typing is a chore.
And his students noticed.
"We all had him, so we know what issues he struggled with most and the issue was typing," said Kevin Greene, who is one of ten senior engineering students at Catholic Central who was given the assignment to design a device for people with disabilities.
They immediately thought of Mr. Martin.
"They decided they were going to help someone they knew," said Jeanine Gasper, the pre-engineering instructor who guided the students through the design process. They eventually came up with the "Handy Typer."
Kevin Greene and his fellow engineering designers created a custom fit just for Mr. Martin. "The rubber cup that the hand comfortably fits into also has padding on the inside and there are these two bars for stability."
Martin has only been using it about three weeks, but he says it's already improved his workload. "It would save me at least an hour a day."
But that's not all it does. Mike Martin was left-handed before his accident. "I can imagine that it will be like having my old left hand again."
And it seems in the process of completing a school project something else happened. They all learned that one of life's greatest lessons can be taught in a classroom.
The bonus for the students is that their design beat out 100 other schools across the United States to make it to the National Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) finals in Washington D.C. The winners will be announced February 26th.
The students are so excited to see their design helping someone else that they want to patent it.
And they kept it affordable too, it only costs $65.
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