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Though the audience wasn’t large, Sarah Valentiner, 12, was a bit nervous about playing her violin. After all, she was performing with a new hand. The creator of her prosthetic hand, Oluseun Taiwo, was nervous too. The Northern Illinois University engineering major, had spent three months perfecting the device, using a 3-D printer to churn out multiple versions to get it just right.
Sarah, who was born without a right hand, has been playing the violin for about two years, taking up the instrument after seeing friends enjoy it. For help in overcoming her disability, she and her family first approached the Shriners Club, which provided a functional prosthetic, but one that had limitations. Then her parents discovered e-NABLE a global network of volunteers who are using their 3-D printers, design skills and personal time to create free prosthetic hands for those in need.Image credit: Courtesy of Northern Illinois University
