In a show of true-blood superheroism, real-life hero Albert Manero asked Robert Downey, Jr. for help in making a bionic arm for a child who is missing his right arm from just above his elbow. Recently, Downey presented a robot arm (from one of his many Iron Man suits, it seems), to young Alex Pring from Central Florida, with the help of Microsoft's Collective Project and Manero's own Limbitless Solutions.
Albert Manero is a PhD student in Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He started Limbitless Solutions, an organization that builds and donates 3D printed bionic or robot arms for children. This Saturday, the organization made a big leap into worldwide recognition when they got Robert Downey, Jr. himself to participate in their charitable efforts.
He met Alex through E-Nable, a network of volunteers that introduces people who need prosthetic limbs with those in possession of a 3D printer. The robot arm itself was modeled by the very prop master who worked on Marvel movies. It was made with the latest in 3D printing technology, and Manero, along with his student volunteers, turned it into a functional arm.
Alex's mom simply told him that they were going to Atlanta for the weekend to meet with Manero and a specialist who would be working on a new arm for him. Hand-in-hand, Alex and Albert walked to the room where Downey was waiting with his robot arm. Later, Alex tells reporters that while he was quiet during the meet, he was actually freaking out after seeing his idol in the flesh.
Downey posted the video of their meeting on social media sites, and it immediately became viral. The meet was organized by Microsoft for its Collective Project campaign, which aims to highlight the works of students who use technology to build a better world. Giving a boy a sleek new robot arm; as simple as the gesture might seem, it could in fact mean the world to a child battling disability. Moreover, it shows the lengths to which a charitable organization would go to just to keep people happy.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
