Actress Finds More Freedom With "Bionic" Arm
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IRVING, TX (CBSDFW.COM) -- Actress Angel Giuffria was born without an arm and for years she had the same type of prosthesis -- one that was only able to 'grip'.
Guiffria says she would often surf the Internet hoping there was something that could help her. Finally she came across Advanced Arm Dynamics in Irving, TX.
She found out she could get a hand that could help her do things that she normally would have had to ask for help or "figure out." Things like curling her hair.
It may not sound like much, but for an actress, who had a small role in Mockingjay One, looking good is important.
The new hand has lots of different grasps and is made smaller for a woman. According to the Director of Therapeutic Services for Advanced Arm Dynamics, Tiffany Ryan, currently the electrodes that control the arm sit on the outside of the muscles. When she moves muscles in her arm a signal is sent to the hand instructing it what to do -- based on which muscles she moves. New technology still being researched includes implants that contact the nerves in the arm themselves.
With her new arm. Guiffra says she is ready for bigger and better projects playing veterans and maybe even a remake? "I hear that all the time. 'The Six Million Dolar Woman' or different things like that... which would be awesome!"
Guiffra is the first actress to get the bionic arm.
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