Star Wars fan gets R2-D2 arm after losing limbs to meningitis aged just eight

Kye Vincent was eight years old when doctors had to amputate both of his lower legs, his right hand and part of his left hand.

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Kye Vincent experiments with drinking and drawing with the arm made by a company based in the UK
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Star Wars heroes are no strangers to bionic hands, and a young fan who lost all four limbs to meningitis now has his own artificial arm that would look right at home in a galaxy far, far away.

Kye Vincent was eight years old when doctors were forced to amputate both of his lower legs, his right hand and part of his left hand, with the infection having spread through his body in less than 24 hours.

Now 11, and thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, the youngster from from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire has become the first person in the world to receive a special bionic arm themed to the famous droid R2-D2.

EMBARGOED TO 2359 THURSDAY JANUARY 16 Undated handout photo issued by Open Bionic of 11-year-old quadruple amputee Kye Vincent, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, who has become the first person to receive an R2-D2 bionic arm. PA Photo. Issue date: Thursday January 16, 2020. Kye began crowdfunding for the Star Wars-themed "hero arm" after losing four limbs to meningitis when he was just eight years old. See PA story SOCIAL Bionic. Photo credit should read: Open Bionic/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:
Image: Kye Vincent lost four limbs to meningitis when he was eight
EMBARGOED TO 2359 THURSDAY JANUARY 16 Undated handout photo issued by Open Bionic of 11-year-old quadruple amputee Kye Vincent, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, who has become the first person to receive an R2-D2 bionic arm. PA Photo. Issue date: Thursday January 16, 2020. Kye began crowdfunding for the Star Wars-themed "hero arm" after losing four limbs to meningitis when he was just eight years old. See PA story SOCIAL Bionic. Photo credit should read: Open Bionic/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:
Image: The bionic arm is themed to Star Wars droid R2-D2

Kye is said to be delighted with his new limb, which uses sensors to detect muscle movements and is controlled by tensing as you would to open and close your own biological hand.

And while it may not be able to display holographic messages from intergalactic princesses, the R2-D2 arm can be adjusted in size so that Kye can keep wearing it as he grows.

His mother, Cheryl Vincent, said that when doctors revealed they had little chance of saving his limbs the family started crowdfunding so that Kye could fulfil his wish of becoming a "bionic boy".

"Seeing Kye with a hand again was very, very emotional," she said.

More on Star Wars

The company behind the arm, Bristol-based Open Bionics, made it using 3D printing.

It also offers limbs themed to the hit Disney film Frozen and Marvel characters like Iron Man, but Kye only had eyes for something inspired by Star Wars.

Droids R2-D2 and C-3PO posed on the red carpet
Image: R2-D2 with his loyal on-screen pal C-3PO

His mother added: "I was so happy for him. From a very young age, he's always loved Star Wars.

"And to have it on a prosthetic arm, it shows what he's into."

Open Bionics is hoping that its limbs will one day become more widely available through the NHS, as they can only be secured through private funding and treatment at the moment.

Co-founder Samantha Payne said: "We wanted to show that people with a difference can be superheroes. There are no other multi-grip prosthetics available for children, and the ones that are can be quite ugly or impractical.

"We are waiting for NHS England to update their out-of-date guidelines to give access to amputees in the UK this multi-grip technology that costs the same or less than current NHS myoelectric solutions."

EMBARGOED TO 2359 THURSDAY JANUARY 16 Undated handout photo issued by Open Bionic of 11-year-old quadruple amputee Kye Vincent, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, who has become the first person to receive an R2-D2 bionic arm. PA Photo. Issue date: Thursday January 16, 2020. Kye began crowdfunding for the Star Wars-themed "hero arm" after losing four limbs to meningitis when he was just eight years old. See PA story SOCIAL Bionic. Photo credit should read: Open Bionic/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:
Image: Kye is a huge Star Wars fan
EMBARGOED TO 2359 THURSDAY JANUARY 16 Undated handout photo issued by Open Bionic of 11-year-old quadruple amputee Kye Vincent, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, who has become the first person to receive an R2-D2 bionic arm. PA Photo. Issue date: Thursday January 16, 2020. Kye began crowdfunding for the Star Wars-themed "hero arm" after losing four limbs to meningitis when he was just eight years old. See PA story SOCIAL Bionic. Photo credit should read: Open Bionic/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:
Image: The arm is 3D-printed

Open Bionics has provided other bionic arms to children in the UK and the US, including its Iron Man variant for a teenager in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The company offers an insurance policy, with free refits for up to five years.