Malcolm Taylor doesnsa国际传媒檛 mind talking about his arm.

Yousa国际传媒檙e not going to bring up anything the 14-year-old from the rural southern Vancouver Island community of Cobble Hill hasnsa国际传媒檛 already heard.

sa国际传媒淚 have had every kind of question,sa国际传媒� he assures.

A Grade 9 student at Frances Kelsey Secondary School, Taylor was born with just one hand, his left arm ending just a little bit above the elbow. Last year, he was fitted with a myoelectric arm, which can sense muscle impulses and allows him to open and close the hand simply by flexing the muscles in his residual limb.

Taylor has had different non-electrical prosthetics in the past, and a previous electrical one, but this is the best one hesa国际传媒檚 ever had. Itsa国际传媒檚 not quite state-of-the-art, he says, but itsa国际传媒檚 the best in terms of price and functionality.

The arm was paid for by the War Amps CHAMP program. The War Amps began more than 100 years ago to assist war amputee veterans returning from the First World War. It has expanded its programs over the years to support all amputees.

sa国际传媒淭hey pay for all my prosthetics,sa国际传媒� Taylor points out. sa国际传媒淚t makes life a lot easier.sa国际传媒�

Taylor received his current prosthetic about six months ago after working with beta versions before that. The process involved having a cast taken from his arm, getting the prosthetic custom-fitted, and having the electrodes fine-tuned. The work is done by a prosthesist, and isnsa国际传媒檛 invasive.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 no surgery,sa国际传媒� Taylor explains. sa国际传媒淚 can take it on and off at any time.sa国际传媒�

The many steps were worth it for the new arm.

sa国际传媒淚 can do a lot more things than I could with the other one,sa国际传媒� Taylor says.

The myoelectric arm allows for gripping motions that Taylorsa国际传媒檚 previous prostetics didnsa国际传媒檛, like grabbing a stick.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e tried throwing things but with little success,sa国际传媒� he says, adding that would change with practice. It definitely makes a difference that he grew up without a hand.

sa国际传媒淚t would probably be easier for someone who has had a hand before to get the hang of it,sa国际传媒� he says.

Taylorsa国际传媒檚 previous prosthetics didnsa国际传媒檛 have nearly as much going for them.

sa国际传媒淗ave you seen a hook hand in a pirate movie?sa国际传媒� he asks. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not inaccurate.sa国际传媒�

He couldnsa国际传媒檛 have picked up a medical face mask with the old one, for example. And the new one works well enough that he doesnsa国际传媒檛 have to put one thing down to pick another up.

sa国际传媒淚t takes away that extra step thatsa国际传媒檚 always annoying,sa国际传媒� he says.

Taylor will have to get a new prosthetic, eventually, but he can probably get this one refitted before that happens.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e supposed to be very tight,sa国际传媒� he relates. sa国际传媒淪o you grow out of them really quickly.sa国际传媒�

Other kids at school definitely approve of this one.

sa国际传媒淭hey think itsa国际传媒檚 really cool,sa国际传媒� Taylor says.

Not only is he not shy about discussing the arm, he admits he may even show off from time to time.

sa国际传媒淚 can punch walls,sa国际传媒� he says with a mischievous laugh. sa国际传媒淪o I do that occasionally.sa国际传媒�

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