Peck School of the Arts students Becky Yoshikane, Fred Kaems, Calvin T. Rupnow and Sara Shuler have won $10,000 to further develop their “Next Step” project, which creates prosthetic leg coverings for amputees.
The students consulted with a United States Marines veteran, Sgt. Eric Rodriguez, who lost his leg fighting in Afghanistan. Together, they created a unique covering for Rodriguez’s prosthetic leg, which not only restored body symmetry, but also helped deflect unwanted attention from strangers.
“I want my prosthetic to be unique with the cover,” Rodriguez said. “I would like it to add character instead of making people feel sorry. I want them to say that it is cool.”
Under the guidance of UWM Associate Professor Frankie Flood, the group submitted the project and won the Winter 2015-2016 cycle of the InfyMakers competition. The award was announced March 16. The group plans to publish the design and assembly directions so anyone can download them free of charge. The customizable covering can be crafted in less than 24 hours using 3-D printing technology.
The Infosys Foundation USA sponsors the InfyMakers competition. The foundation recently committed $1 million to the Infy Maker Awards to inspire makers across the U.S. to demonstrate creative excellence in making projects with genuine impact.
