University students use 3D printer to make prosthetic arm for young violin player

Isabella Nicola.
(Image credit: YouTube.com/bestvids)

It took a year to get it right, but now Isabella Nicola, a 10-year-old from Fairfax County, Virginia, can comfortably play the violin, using her new pink prosthetic arm.

When she was born, Nicola's left arm was only partially developed. A year ago, five George Mason University students started to design a prosthetic for her, and they have spent the last 12 months working together on the perfect fit; she provided feedback for the students, who then tweaked the prosthetic — made with a 3D printer — to make it more comfortable. "I am very grateful," she told NBC Washington. "Without these people, I don't think I'd be able to play the violin. I don't think I'd be able to play any instrument." Catherine Garcia

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.