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A three-year-old girl from Herefordshire is among the first people to benefit from a new soft, customisable prosthetic arm, at a tenth of the cost of traditional alternatives.

Hero is one in 32,000 people born with an upper limb difference called Symbrachydactyly. Although she was born happy and healthy, she has only one hand.

Hero was two and a half when she was first introduced to Mitt Wearables - the company behind the new low-cost prosthetic arm.

The technology has allowed her to learn new skills and enjoy hobbies she previously could not do, such as painting, helping her parents in the garden and holding objects in both hands.

(Image: Polly Thomas/PinPep)

Traditional prosthetic arms are heavy, and range in price from £5,000 to £10,000.

In contrast, Mitt Wearables' prosthetic arm costs less than £500, meaning it is affordable option for children, who rapidly outgrow traditional prostheses and are rarely offered them.

The "Mitt" is soft and adaptable and - being inspired by sportswear - it is also lightweight and easy to put on.

A range of simple-to-use tools can be attached to each Mitt, allowing users to carry out everyday tasks and hobbies easily.

(Image: Polly Thomas/PinPep)

For example, a gripping circle lets users hold items such as a toothbrush, cooking utensils, a paintbrush, skipping rope and hairbrush.

These are tasks that require some precision, and can be difficult to do with other prostheses.

For Hero’s parents, Mitt has been exactly what they needed for their daughter, allowing her to take part in lots of activities, without it seeming like a big deal.

The new prosthetic limb will officially launch in the UK next spring, after securing CE Mark certification this week.

The two young London entrepreneurs behind Mitt Wearables - Nate Macabuag and Ben Lakey - are supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub, which was created in 2013 to support the country’s next generation of engineering entrepreneurs.

"Traditional prosthetic arms are not only expensive but tend to be heavy and uncomfortable to wear," said Ben Lakey, co-founder of Mitt Wearables.

"We've taken a very different route with Mitt. Instead of trying to mimic a hand, we've created an arm and a range of simple tools that can be attached and swapped as required.

"Listening to users, there is a clear need for affordable, comfortable and functional prostheses that can help people continue to do whatever it is they are passionate about – whether that’s cooking, painting, using an iPad, drumming, or any number of specific tasks.

"The feedback we're receiving has been just amazing."

(Image: Polly Thomas/PinPep)

With more than 70 million people affected by limb loss around the world, and with 90% of those currently unable to afford any kind of prosthesis, Mitt Wearables' ambition is to rapidly scale their business.

The prosthetic will be available from Mitt’s website, and anyone who is interested in being among the first to get one, can join the beta launch waiting list now at www.wearmitt.com .

"Nate and Ben are inspiring engineers," said Elspeth Finch, head judge for Launchpad competition for the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub.

"We’re excited to see their business launch across Europe, and expect it to grow rapidly.

"They have addressed a clear gap in the market for lower cost, easily customisable prosthetic limbs, and we expect there to be global demand for their design.

"Mitt is a fantastic example of the best of British engineering innovation."