Double-amputee New Zealander has mermaid dreams fulfilled
By Laura June 
posted February 25th 2009 1:29PM
posted February 25th 2009 1:29PM
New Zealander Nadya Vessey -- who lost both of her legs to the knee when she was a child -- has just received a prosthesis that's pretty much unlike anything we've ever seen (outside of Splash). About two years ago, she approached Weta Workshop, who specialize in design and manufacturing of costumes and special effects (and have worked on projects such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy) to see if the company might be interested in making her a working, prostethic mermaid tail. Turns out they were, and they've just completed the final product. The tail, which is composed of wetsuit fabric and plastic molds, with a custom paint job and digitally-imaged effects, enables Nadya to swim quite effectively, apparently, and is an all around sexy piece of machinery. No word on what one of these slick dudes would cost in real life, but we have a feeling we couldn't justify the expense just to tool around in the kiddie pool.
Update: Check out the video after the break!
[Thanks, Pyper]
Further reading:
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Immaculate prosthetic limb concept makes combines fun again We never thought it would it come to this, but damn if that image above doesn't make the idea of having a prosthetic limb attractive. |
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Touch Bionics i-LIMB bionic hand Using electric signals generated by working muscles to control the hand, the device is much like traditional myoelectric prosthetics (the signals are sent from electrodes placed on the skin). See also: Video |
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UK canine equipped with prosthetic paw Although we've certainly come across prosthetics with names similar to that of a fun-loving canine, we don't believe we've ever seen a pup actually become the receipiant of one. |
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Seabobbing: swimming for the lazy Hanging out at the beach is always a lot of fun, but swimming in the ocean is, like, really tiring, so when our friends all decide to go in the water, we usually cop-out by making up some lame excuse about a leg cramp. |
engadget- why open comments if you're going to nuke the wittiest ones? if I call her sea hag you will learn it and love it.
"now a test in her preferred swimming place... the sea"
The video cut out after that because after she went in the water she was harpooned.
ROTFLMFAO -- dude stop. I am in tears over here! harpooned! LOL.
Her ass must smell
And yours doesn't?
Thank you, Universe, for making this knowledge available to me.
Not as cool as I would've thought. She needs to hone her technique.
How ironic would it be if they did all that and she just fucking drowned?
Michael Phelps must be jealous right about now.
Very very cool.
btw we are called Kiwis not New Zealanders as that just sounds gay
New Zoolanders?
reminds me of the southpark episode where kyle becomes black and gets knee implants to be a better basketball player, and his dad becomes a dolphin. Hilarious
though of course, this is pretty cool
My sister works at WETA ! :) so cool
Hah the "music" in the second video has the F word in it and they left it :-)
ahh how cool! such a fantasy come to life. I remember when I was younger wanting to be a mermaid... I think it's beautiful!
I think it is great for someone who lost doing a thing they enjoyed, due to the amputation, to be able to do that thing again. If you can't enjoy walking, then have an awesome swim and enjoy life to its fullest!
With the economy the way it is, we all lost an arm and a leg.
Ummmm, I think you're wondering how much these DUDS cost, and not DUDES (unless, of course, you're thinking of buying the people that designed the wetsuit)
JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING IN CREATION...
LEVY WAS A REGULAR ON SNL.