Students have come a long way from tin-can telephones, volcano science projects and paper airplanes.

Current computer designing and 3D printing are just some of the innovations that have opened up a new world of creation for people right in their own home.

Whether itB次元官网网址檚 devising science experiments headed for the International Space Station, or writing code to control a robot built with Lego, kids in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area have a variety of exciting and ambitious science and tech projects underway in school, clubs and elsewhere.

For 15-year-old baseball player and math wiz Ethan Dean, that project is to build the prototype for a bionic arm.

Inspired by his interest in 3D printers (heB次元官网网址檚 currently designing and building his own), Dean plans to build a prosthesis meant to stand in for a personB次元官网网址檚 lost limb.

The idea is to create a prosthetic that is more functional than simpler options that rely on a pulley system B次元官网网址� for instance, to translate a bend of the wrist to closing the joints of plastic fingers. Instead, Dean plans to use electric motors and biomedical sensors to cause motion.

While bionic arms can cost upwards of $20,000, Dean, a Ballenas Secondary student from Nanoose Bay, hopes that his electric prosthetic could be much more affordable.

He admits that the project is very ambitious, and that there are a lot of skills heB次元官网网址檒l have to develop to see it through, but he said he hopes it could help him earn a post secondary scholarship for engineering, math and science.

The goal right now is to come up with a prototype.

To that end, Dean set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $4,000 to cover the cost of parts. The page had raised $226 as of Nov. 12.

HeB次元官网网址檚 also connected up with the Oceanside Community MakerSpace (located at the McMillan Arts Centre) to get tips from local 3D printer enthusiasts, hobbyist electricians and others.

B次元官网网址淢akerSpace was set up as a place for people to make things and also share their experience with the community,B次元官网网址� said Jim Bennett with the Oceanside MakerSpace.

B次元官网网址淚 love robotics,B次元官网网址� said Dean of his interest in starting this project. B次元官网网址淚 like learning new things, and itB次元官网网址檚 really exciting once you get it working B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 rewarding.B次元官网网址�

Getting his first 3D printer was an entry point into that kind of work. EthanB次元官网网址檚 dad, James, agreed to pay for half of EthanB次元官网网址檚 first 3D printer. B次元官网网址淪o we looked on Amazon and we found like the cheapest one that we could find,B次元官网网址� said James.

B次元官网网址淚t was always breaking and he was always having to troubleshoot and fix it,B次元官网网址� he said.

After working at ParksWest in their computer department, Ethan and James went in on a more expensive 3D printer, and now heB次元官网网址檚 designing and building his own.

Three-D printers work by moving a small nozzle along three axes, extruding heated plastic. Layers are slowly built up until a 3D piece is made.

After taking apart one of his 3D printers, Ethan found he had a variety of extra components, and thatB次元官网网址檚 where his idea for a prosthetic arm came from.

Though he didnB次元官网网址檛 know much about prosthetics at the start, Ethan is doing plenty of research to see what he can design, engineer, print, code and build.

To check out his GoFundMe page, go to .