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This Awesome 11-Year-Old Girl Designed A Prosthetic Arm That Shoots Glitter

Go Jordan!
The Rachael Ray Show
Jordan Reeves' glitter-blasting arm got the seal of approval from Mark Cuban.
Via Born Just Right
Jordan Reeves' glitter-blasting arm got the seal of approval from Mark Cuban.

Meet Jordan Reeves. She’s 11 years old and invented a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter. So, basically, she’s our new hero.

Jordan was born with a left arm that stops above the elbow. Last January, she had the chance to attend a special camp, where she designed her flashy prosthetic arm. She named the effort Project Unicorn “because unicorns are awesome and sparkly,” Jordan’s mom Jen told The Huffington Post.

On Feb. 10, Jordan appeared on “The Rachael Ray Show” and presented her glitter-shooting arm, which is shaped like a unicorn horn, to judges from “Shark Tank.”

The Sharks loved the Missouri preteen’s invention. “Jordan, you are a superhero,” Mark Cuban told her.

“I know some parents that would hate that and some kids that would love it!” added Daymond John.

Indeed, Jordan’s mom is not a huge fan of glitter, but she’s come around to it and of course supports her daughter’s work wholeheartedly.

The Sharks were fans of Jordan's prosthetic arm.
Via Born Just Right
The Sharks were fans of Jordan's prosthetic arm.

“Jordan is a high-energy ball of girl power,” Jen told HuffPost. “She’s confident and has really grown into her own person this past year. Someone on Twitter said Jordan is a combination of Disney Princess and Ironman. I think that is very true.”

The mom added, “Jordan’s overall attitude is: ‘Yeah, I’m different. So what?’ We are all different. Her difference just happens to be obvious.”

Project Unicorn began last January when Jordan had the opportunity to attend a “Superhero Cyborgs” camp through an organization called KIDmob.

“They invited a small group of kids with upper limb differences,” Jen said. “They were asked, ‘If you were a superhero, how would you take advantage of your difference?’ Jordan’s response to that question was to design a prosthetic arm that shoots sparkles.”

Jordan also gave herself the superhero name “Girl Blaster.”
Via Born Just Right
Jordan also gave herself the superhero name “Girl Blaster.”

Jordan also gave herself the superhero name “Girl Blaster.”

The camp connected Jordan to Sam Hobish, a designer at the 3D design software company Autodesk. Together, they brought Jordan’s vision to life. They continue to have meetings via Google Hangouts to work on new iterations of the design.

In addition to the unicorn horn that shoots glitter, Jordan is working on other prosthetic arm projects. “Since learning to work with 3D CAD programs, Jordan is working on a solution to those pesky two-handed paper towel dispensers in public bathrooms, and she’s worked with her prosthetist on a more traditional arm that can use different 3D hands,” Jen said.

Jordan presented an earlier version of her glitter blaster at Maker Faire in the Bay Area last May.
Via Born Just Right
Jordan presented an earlier version of her glitter blaster at Maker Faire in the Bay Area last May.

“I think Jordan plans to keep learning design and finding ways to have fun and do good with it,” she added. “I know she also really loves helping others learn. It’s possible she has a future as a designer and design teacher.”

Jordan and her mom want to make sure other kids with physical differences have the opportunity to develop solutions. They are planning to launch a nonprofit to help more kids learn design and access the technology needed to create things that are “fun or helpful ― or both!” said Jen.

“I hope Jordan’s experience growing up and taking ownership of her differences helps encourage everyone to know a physical difference isn’t the end of a world,” the mom explained. “Jordan and her designs can encourage us all to take advantage of what makes us different and see the world with a new perspective. We can all build new concepts. We can all design something that makes our lives a little brighter or a little easier.”

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