Man Builds Himself Bionic Hands

When Sun Jifa went out fishing one afternoon 8 years ago, he had no idea it would change his whole life. The Chinese fisherman had been attempting to use a homemade bomb to catch more fish when it exploded prematurely and took both of his hands from him. Sun tried to get assistance from the hospital but while they were able to save his life, he simply could not afford the prosthetic limbs they offered as a replacement for his own. Not having the money to afford the prosthetics didn't stop Sun though and he spent the next 8 years working on constructing a pair for himself.

This year, his efforts finally saw fruition. Sun has crafted a set of metal limbs which he can control through a series of wires where his elbows attach.

"I control them with movements from my elbows and I can work, love normally and feed myself just like anyone else," said Jifa.

Now, he plans to try and perfect his prototype in the hopes of helping others who simply can't afford the prices for current prosthetic limbs. The ones he is using now are steel and therefore heavy and tiring to wear for long periods of time. They can also become uncomfortable in extreme temperatures. If Jifa is successful in his design attempts, however, he may be able to assist a lot of people. There are approximately 24 million individuals living in China currently who have limb disabilities.