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Ideas on How to Make a Prosthetic Hand for Science

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uses ballistics gel to replicate human flesh when testing weapons. The Discovery Channel's MythBusters team also uses ballistic gel for many of their experiments involving impact with human body parts. You can make your own ballistics-type gel at home when you need prosthetic hands for science experiments. The resulting prosthetic will be approximately the same weight and density as a human hand.

Things You'll Need

Plain gelatin
Cold water
Soup pot
Candy thermometer
Latex dish gloves
Funnel
Tall, narrow container
Sand
Aluminum foil

Instructions

Making the Gel
- 1
  Combine gelatin with water in a ratio of 1 pound of gelatin per 1 gallon of water. To make one prosthetic hand, you will need approximately 4 ounces of gelatin and 4 cups of water.
- 2
  Pour the cold water into the pot. Stir gelatin into the water carefully, without stirring in too much air. Mix until the gelatin is evenly dispersed in the water.
- 3
  Refrigerate the gelatin mixture for two hours in the pot. Allowing the gelatin to set before cooking is called "blooming."
- 4
  
  Heat the gelatin gently -- don't allow it to boil.
  
  Remove pot from the refrigerator and place over medium heat. Melt the gelatin. Stir occasionally, but avoid over stirring. Use a candy thermometer to make sure the gelatin's temperature does not exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook until gelatin is completely melted.
- 5
  Pour gelatin into the dish glove, using the funnel. Fill the glove completely with gelatin. This is best done when one person holds the glove open and the other pours the gelatin.
- 6
  Lower the glove into a tall, narrow container, such as a flower pot, fingers first. Hold the glove upright as you slowly pour sand around the glove, filling until you reach about 1/2 inch from the top of the glove.
- 7
  Cover the glove and flower pot with aluminum foil, then place in the refrigerator to set. Allow the gelatin to set for at least 36 hours.
- 8
  Remove the flower pot from refrigerator, remove foil, and carefully slide the glove from the sand. Your prosthetic hand should now be ready for scientific experiments.

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