Amputee to get Metal Gear Solid-inspired prosthetic arm

 

The "Big Boss" himself...

Konami is teaming with innovative custom prosthetics designer Sophie De Oliviera Barata to outfit a British gamer with a bespoke limb, inspired by Metal Gear Solid V's protagonist Snake.

The project will see de Oliveira Barata working with a team of engineers, roboticists and designers, to produce a personalised limb for 25-year old James Young. The final build will not only be customised to Young's requirements, but also be multi-functional and use "cutting edge and innovative technologies".

On 18 May 2012, Young fell under a Docklands Light Railway train at West Silvertown. Although saved from death by the actions of fellow-passenger David Kelly, his lower left leg had been severed and his left arm later required medical amputation. Despite his injuries, Young -- a keen gamer and fan of the Metal Gear series -- adapted, becoming adept at playing one-handed.

Young was "carefully selected by Sophie as a candidate comfortable with the idea of an eye-catching alternative limb and who would benefit from the capabilities it offered," say Konami. The path to creating his new prosthetic will be charted online, through website The Phantom Limb Project, and on a dedicated Twitter feed.

In Metal Gear Solid V, Snake gains an artificial arm after losing it in prelude Ground Zeroes. Although Young's arm won't be an exact replica, it will be inspired by the aesthetic of the virtual one, albeit (probably) without the many weapons and espionage tools outfitted to it in the game.

"The Phantom Limb Project was born out of a desire to create something innovative, on the cusp of future technology, which would explore the themes present within the series and more specifically, the themes and ideas referenced in the latest incarnation: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," the creators said.

"We also wanted to tell an uplifting human story of what it means to be an amputee, to feel phantom pain, to overcome loss and how technology can change our perceptions of 'disability'. Moreover, the story of how one gamer [...] never let his condition get in the way of his passion."

De Oliveira Barata is no stranger to unique prosthetics. As founder of The Alternative Limbs Project, she has pioneered a field for individualised limbs built to match the tastes and personalities of their wearers. Among her past creations are a "Swiss Arm Knife", complete with flip-out accessories, steampunk-styled arms, and the crystal leg worn by performer Viktoria Modesta at the 2012 Paralympics.