Undergraduates build prosthetic arm for 10-year-old violinist

FAIRFAX, Va. — The pressure was on for Abdul Gouda and his classmates at George Mason University: not only did their graduation depend on the success of their project, but so did the hopes of an impossibly cute 10-year-old girl.

Fifth-grader Isabella Nicola Cabrera wanted to play the violin, but she was born with no left hand and a severely abbreviated forearm. Her music teacher at Island Creek Elementary in Fairfax County had built her a prosthetic allowing her to move the bow with her left arm and finger the strings with her right. But the prosthetic was heavy and he thought there might be a better option. He reached out to his alma mater, George Mason University.

As it happened, Gouda and his four teammates in the bioengineering department were in the market for a project. Students are required to take on a capstone project their senior year and their initial idea had fallen through. Still, Gouda admitted some hesitation at the outset.

“It’s sort of a lot of pressure,” he said. “You’ve got this young girl who’s counting on you and you’re expected to deliver.”

The team — Gouda, Mona Elkholy, Ella Novoselsky, Racha Salha and Yasser Alhindi — developed multiple prototypes throughout the year. There was a fair amount of literature on similar projects, but Isabella’s case is unique to her, and the project included plenty of trial and error.

Isabella communicated easily with the group and provided feedback, especially about the weight. The final version of the arm came in at less than 13 ounces. The team also enlisted music professor Elizabeth Adams for information on what Isabella would need to play with some finesse.

On Thursday, Isabella received her final prosthetic, built from a 3-D printer, hot pink at her request and emblazoned with “Isabella’s attachment” on the forearm.

She played some scales as she adjusted the fit, and even a few bars of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

The team had a surprise for her: a plug-in attachment designed to let her grip a handlebar and ride a bicycle.

“I feel very blessed that I have this amazing group of people,” she said.