Remy Marasa, a senior studying sculpture through the Studio Art BFA program, interns with UCF-based non-profit Limbitless Solutions painting expressive designs on 3D-printed prosthetic arms. Her work with the organization includes an exciting project in collaboration with Xbox and video game developer CD Projekt Red on the newly released game Cyberpunk 2077.
The partnership helped bring the metallic arm of character Johnny Silverhand, voiced by Keanu Reeves, from the small screen to real life. The bionic arm that Marasa helped paint will be available to adult veterans and first responders participating in clinical trials expected to begin in 2021.
“Working on projects of this scale has been such an amazing opportunity,” says Marasa. “Partnering with CD Projekt Red was a unique experience, as it is apparent they value expressive customization as much as we do here at Limbitless Solutions.”
In addition to collaborating with Xbox and CD Projekt Red, Limbitless released another video game bionic arm in partnership with Ubisoft based on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The arms’ design, inspired by the “Bracers of the Underworld,” is worn by the game’s protagonist, Kassandra.
SVAD Associate Professor of Emerging Media and Limbitless-affiliated faculty member Matt Dombrowski ’05 ’08 MFA also worked with the Limbitless Solutions team in both designing and advertising the video game-themed prosthetics. When asked the importance of opportunities for undergraduates like Remy to work with such well-known companies, he responded, “Transcending the classroom walls with digital sculpting, 3D printing, and airbrush painting techniques is essential to our success. This collaboration provides our ‘Limbitless’ UCF SVAD undergraduate students an opportunity to utilize digital and traditional art tools to bring to life the Assassin’s Creed ‘series’ designs. We are so very proud of Remy and her accomplishments.” Both children and adults alike will be able to don the Spartan-inspired arms in 2021.
Working on both designs — each in collaboration with a different video game developer — required Marasa to draw on her artistic and collaborative experience, both in the classroom and as an intern at Limbitless.
“My studio art coursework prepared me from projects like these by instilling the necessity of collaboration with your peers and a thought-out plan of action,” says Marasa. “While working across different companies, there was always respect and admiration for the different teams we communicated with along the process. I believe this kept each group excited and wanting to assist where they could. Working at Limbitless has shown me how to integrate compassion and intentionality into my artwork, as well as to exploring new skills like airbrush painting.”
For Marasa, working on prosthetic arms was more than just an internship; instead, it provided her with new insight into her plans for the future. “Working in such a supportive and collaborative environment, my possibilities for post-grad life have opened up exponentially,” she says. “I like to think I still have some time to figure that out, but whatever path I end up on, I am positive that my understanding that is a necessity for humanity will always be present in my work.”
Read more about these collaborations on UCF Today:
- Limbitless Solutions Announces New Bionic Arm Design Collaboration with Ubisoft
- UCF-based Limbitless Solutions and Video Game Cyberpunk 2077 Team Up
Limbitless Solutions is a non-profit 501(c)(3) direct support organization (DSO) at the University of Central Florida that specializes in creating and donating personalized 3D-printed prosthetic arms at no cost to children with limb differences.
Learn more about the different studio art programs offered through UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design here.