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Bionic Hands to Become a Reality Soon?

Spy der Mann writes "A highly dexterous, bio-inspired artificial hand and sensory system that could provide patients with active feeling, is being developed by a European project called cyberhand. The final prototype includes sensors for tension, force, joint angle, end stroke and contact."

188 comments

  1. In other news . . . by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Steve Austin, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader all sue for patent infringement.

    1. Re:In other news . . . by Spudley · · Score: 3, Informative

      Feel the force, Luke! ... and the tension, and the contact, ....

      --
      (Spudley Strikes Again!)
    2. Re:In other news . . . by Spudley · · Score: 2, Funny

      By the way, does anyone else think it's ironic that the advert showing on this article is for light sabres? :-D

      --
      (Spudley Strikes Again!)
    3. Re:In other news . . . by Surt · · Score: 1

      Thankfully, all well out of patent lifetime.

      --
      "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
    4. Re:In other news . . . by everphilski · · Score: 3, Funny

      Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

      -everphilski-

    5. Re:In other news . . . by Paul+Slocum · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If anyone is going to enforce the patent, it's this man.

    6. Re:In other news . . . by SapphireSnowdrop · · Score: 1

      I was about to mention something about that, but everyone took my sarcastic commments. =)

    7. Re:In other news . . . by PixelScuba · · Score: 1

      Steve Austin

      I imagine that would make the 'Stunner' quite difficult to pull off.

    8. Re:In other news . . . by skingers6894 · · Score: 1

      I believe the patents are owned by the OSI, The Rebel Alliance and The Galactic Empire respectively.

      Messrs. Austin, Skywalker and Vader where simply end users in the cases you mention...

    9. Re:In other news . . . by Stalky · · Score: 1

      Nah, they're not real.

      Now, Benedict of Amber, on the other (ahem) hand...

      --
      Jeff
    10. Re:In other news . . . by ronaldb64 · · Score: 1
      I believe the patents are owned by the OSI, The Rebel Alliance and The Galactic Empire respectively.
      You forgot the obligatory IANAL disclaimer... you must be new here...:)
      --
      There's no place like 127.0.0.1
    11. Re:In other news . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everyone always forgets about Otto Octavious aka Doc Oc :D

    12. Re:In other news . . . by darkshadow · · Score: 1

      I would think Ash, when he got sucked back in time and built himself a bionic hand, would have a claim on that.

      --
      -Darkshadow (There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.)
  2. Switch-Off-On-Demand by fembots · · Score: 4, Funny

    It'll be great if the sensors on these bionic hands can be switched on and off at the user's will.

    This way, the users can grab burning lottery ticket out of a fire place.

    1. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 3, Funny

      For a moment there, I thought you were going for a reference to "the Stranger."

    2. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This way, the users can grab burning lottery ticket out of a fire place.

      Funny I was thinking of the same feature but more for the stranger technique

    3. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It'll be great if the sensors on these bionic hands can be switched on and off at the user's will.

      This way, the users can grab burning lottery ticket out of a fire place.


      Also turns mere masterbation into a full-blown hand job.

    4. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What does a book by Albert Camus have to do with numb hands?

    5. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by c_forq · · Score: 2, Funny

      Until it needs to feed, and starts stealing old peoples medicine with its super strength, I better go stock up on Old Glory Insurance.

      P.S. If anyone has a link to that SNL commercial, or a transcript, that would be great as I assume many mods here will have no idea what I am referring to.

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    6. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by dgatwood · · Score: 1
      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    7. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think he meant the other Stanger

    8. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by c_forq · · Score: 1

      Thanks, you rock.

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    9. Re:Switch-Off-On-Demand by Chazerizer · · Score: 1

      I don't think that you'd want to put that hand in the fire. But in any event, I'd bet even money that the sensors don't encode things like pain, only the sensation of touch. Pain is such a subjective phrase anyway. What activates one person's pain neurons won't affect another.

  3. stroking? by Zencyde · · Score: 1, Funny

    Sooooo...what kind of stroking can be done with these new "bionic" hands?

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    What day is it? Could you please tell me?
    1. Re:stroking? by JoeLinux · · Score: 1

      Times like this, I wish I had (-1, Sick) Moderator option.

    2. Re:stroking? by crymeph0 · · Score: 1

      Or (+0, Sick but Funny)

      --
      It should be illegal to say that freedom of speech should be limited.
    3. Re:stroking? by Zencyde · · Score: 0

      sorry, couldn't pass up the first to make that joke... no matter how awful it was :P

      --
      What day is it? Could you please tell me?
    4. Re:stroking? by Bryansix · · Score: 1

      How about (-1) for Conforming. That is Conforming to the image that all /. users are men who think about new ways to stroke themselves all day.

  4. Hands check! by cosinezero · · Score: 5, Funny

    Finally, a return to two-handed typing...

    1. Re:Hands check! by temojen · · Score: 1

      Actually, I was thinking the same thing, and it's not a joke in my case. But really, I don't need a new hand, I just need to somehow fix what's left of my right hand.

    2. Re:Hands check! by kn0tw0rk · · Score: 1

      Thats what you think!
      The porn industry will have a new advertising initiative called 'lend a hand' for their newest product 'Ms Palmer' that will put a new spin on 'digit'-al entertainment :)

      --
      See my art -> http://herbevore.deviantart.com
    3. Re:Hands check! by wpiman · · Score: 1

      Shit- why stop there. I could really cook it I have four hands to type.

    4. Re:Hands check! by Alef · · Score: 1

      If they have figured out a good way to interface with the nervous system, why complicate things by having a hand between the brain and the code? Imagine the typing speed with a USB cord plugged straight into the arm instead.

    5. Re:Hands check! by dgatwood · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I could use a third hand on many occasions. Imagine being able to hold a soldering gun, the object to be soldered, and the solder all at the same time.... On occasion, a fourth would be handy (no pun intended) when soldering two things together.

      I probably grumble about wanting a third arm/hand at least twice a week. Of course, I would assume that at least right now, this just ties into the existing nervous system in your arm, which would make it less than useful for adding an additional appendage. That said, it's only a matter of time.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    6. Re:Hands check! by Alef · · Score: 1

      Yes, for soldering a third and forth hand would be magnificent. No more operating a pair of pliers between the little finger and the inside of your palm.

    7. Re:Hands check! by InterestingX · · Score: 1

      Why complicate things by having a brain and body interfaced with it? Just have "Thing" crawl around by itself.

    8. Re:Hands check! by Belseth · · Score: 1
      Finally, a return to two-handed typing..

      If you're referring to porn sites you'll need a third arm as well.

    9. Re:Hands check! by DavidV · · Score: 1

      I'm actually a quicker typist now that I have lost my left, I used to be a lousy typist but now that I only have 3 useful fingers, my mental map of the keyboard has become a lot better through necessity.

      A bionic arm would make the WASD easier for FPS though, if they can get it that good.

      --
      !sig
    10. Re:Hands check! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Slashdotters who need this thing better hope they get the grip adjustment correct, or they'll likley crush their other thing.

    11. Re:Hands check! by aaronrp · · Score: 1

      It would also help with your skiboxing.

    12. Re:Hands check! by somersault · · Score: 1

      heh, or better a wireless hand.. awesome. Sneak up on people over the other side of the room and tap them on the shoulder

      --
      which is totally what she said
  5. Don't say I didn't warn ya! by sarlos · · Score: 2, Funny

    Next time you're out and about and some guy named Biff smacks you with a bionic arm implant, don't say Sarlos didn't warn you.

    --
    Government's view of the economy: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it.
    1. Re:Don't say I didn't warn ya! by Martin+Blank · · Score: 1

      Oh, yeah? Well, what if I didn't read your post? Huh? Nah, didn't think of that now, didja? Huh? Huh?[/petergriffin]

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
    2. Re:Don't say I didn't warn ya! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok, I give up.

      Googling briefly for combinations of 'sarlos', 'biff', and 'bionic' yielded nothing that I could associate with this. So let me ask one question. What in the heck are you talking about?

  6. Who needs a hand ? by Arthur+B. · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just make a mouse or a keyboard... I'd trade a hand for a direct link to a computer.

    --
    \u262D = \u5350
    1. Re:Who needs a hand ? by complete+loony · · Score: 1

      They should at least build in a USB port, and allow the nerve impulses to be sent to a PC. If it's done right, you could be typing on a keyboard you can feel but can't see.

      --
      09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
    2. Re:Who needs a hand ? by mark_hill97 · · Score: 1

      Why usb? Why not embed some wireless capability, such as bluetooth and a tiny monitor onto the hand?

      Hell I would trade my left nut for a computer built into my hand!

    3. Re:Who needs a hand ? by middlemen · · Score: 0

      Man, now finally the guys without hands can masturbate comfortably with the bionic hand and read slashdot...

    4. Re:Who needs a hand ? by sharkey · · Score: 1

      You say that now, but just wait until you end up at the goatse!

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  7. Stupid groping jokes by southpolesammy · · Score: 2, Funny

    "You're on in 5...4...3..."

    --
    Rule #1 -- Politics always trumps technology.
  8. Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by RealisticCanadian · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So, while this stuff is very kewl, and in particular I've been following development on artificial hands (as far as I know, only the face is more complex), it raises in me the question of what it will bring with it in the near future....

    Cybernetic implants are under development as well, including the borg-like communications chip that most of us would have seen on 'How William Shatner changed the Universe'

    So on top of all the typical moral concerns this subject raises, in the days when we're as much technology as human being, what will be the complications when our complex implants' OS gives us the equivalent of the BSOD?

    --
    A couple fans told me that my last journal entry was mint; give it a shot. Hope you like.
    1. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by khedron+the+jester · · Score: 0

      what will be the complications when our complex implants' OS gives us the equivalent of the BSOD?

      Same thing as happens now - reboot. It's the equivalent of going unconscious for a few minutes.

    2. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Iphtashu+Fitz · · Score: 1

      what will be the complications when our complex implants' OS gives us the equivalent of the BSOD?

      Not to worry. It's still a long way off. Microsoft won't release the first beta of "Windows for Prosthetics" for at least a decade or two. It'll probably take a minimum of 5 years before this technology is ready for prime-time, then another 5 years before bionic prosthetic use reaches a critical mass to even get on MS's radar screen. After that it's another 5+ years of all the marketing, vaporware hype, press-releases, etc. that Microsoft goes through before they finally manage to push a first buggy release out the door.

    3. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Frumious+Wombat · · Score: 2, Funny

      If you watch Dr. Strangelove , I believe you'll get a pretty good picture of what happens during a BSOD. You don't need the whole movie, just the scenes in the War Room as Dr. Strangelove describes the Doomsday Device.

      As for what a Borg BSOD looks like, I haven't the foggiest. If we're lucky, it'll be like a Greatful Dead Concert (lots of people staring and going "oh wow"), but without the scent of Patchouli oil in the air.

      --
      the more accurate the calculations became, the more the concepts tended to vanish into thin air. R. S. Mulliken
    4. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Gryle · · Score: 1

      ...what will be the complications when our complex implants' OS gives us the equivalent of the BSOD?

      It's insurance against Gates' cyborg army. The rest of us will be on Open Source.

      --
      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
    5. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Dread_ed · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "So on top of all the typical moral concerns this subject raises"

      I don't have any moral concerns about this technology or others like it. All I feel when I see research like this is hope.

      Growing up I watched my father struggle with activities that most of us take for granted. I am not just referring to walking and picking things up, but breathing and being able to get out of bed to see his children growing up. You see, he was in the last wave of people who had Polio before the vaccine was developed and released. He had a pretty bad case (iron lung, coma for about a year) and had to live with permanent physical deformities and constant pain.

      So, whether it is a hand for someone who has lost theirs, sensory enchancement for someone with nerve damage, or a neural implant for someone with a head injury, I am all for it. People should not have to suffer if applied science and medicine can overcome it. If I have a moral concern it is that we need to develop this technology (and others in the same ilk) as fast as possible and we are not doing it.

      In my opinion this is where medicine needs to go. This kind of research should take it's place with cancer and pathogen research when it comes to funding and effort invested. What good is all this cancer research if you are so tired of living that you are begging to die when you finally do get it?

      --
      When the only tool you have is a claw hammer every problem starts to look like the back of someone's skull.
    6. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Digi-John · · Score: 1

      Strangelove: No sir...
      (Right arm rolls his wheelchair backwards.)
      Strangelove: Excuse me.
      (Struggles with wayward right arm, ultimately subduing it with a beating from his left.)
      Strangelove: Also when... when they go down into the mine everyone would still be alive. There would be no shocking memories, and the prevailing emotion will be one of nostalgia for those left behind, combined with a spirit of bold curiosity for the adventure ahead! Ahhhh!
      (Right arm reflexes into Nazi salute)

      --
      Klingon programs don't timeshare, they battle for supremacy.
    7. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 1
      "So on top of all the typical moral concerns this subject raises, in the days when we're as much technology as human being, what will be the complications when our complex implants' OS gives us the equivalent of the BSOD?"

      Doesn't that acronym kind of answer your own question?

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
    8. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by somersault · · Score: 1

      this kind of thing doesnt really need software, just good ol fashioned circuits (I wouldnt think that impulses from your brain are that complicated, just need the equivalent of a modem to deconstruct them really). A pair of bionic arms would rock for playing the drums *drool* not for much else though =p

      --
      which is totally what she said
    9. Re:Bionics ,Cybernetics and Faulty Software? by bobcat7677 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, stay away from the cybernetic implants. They might mess with our precious bodily fluids!

  9. Many questions remain unanswered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For example, is it warm and self-lubricating?

    1. Re:Many questions remain unanswered by c_forq · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That makes me wonder, on a serious note, what kind of heat this will produce? Might there be a rick of burning your skin it is attached to if you move too much? Will this cause excess sweating of the forearm? Or the armpit of whatever arm it is attached to? Will others get freaked the hell out when your hand feels really freaking weird when they shake it?

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
  10. no jokes! by Surt · · Score: 0, Redundant

    About the adjustable end stroke please!

    --
    "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
    1. Re:no jokes! by iggymanz · · Score: 0

      since bionic appendages can now have feeling, how about "Bionic Penile Enlargement Now" jokes?

    2. Re:no jokes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wonder how long it will take until someone starts retrofitting the RealDoll with a couple of these ;)

    3. Re:no jokes! by Surt · · Score: 1

      Bad mods, bad! Don't moderate the earlier post redundant! Check the post numbers!

      --
      "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
  11. Best of What's New 2005 by aborlancop1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to Popular Science, there's already a mind-controlled bionic arm out. It allows for better movement than previous prosthetic limbs as well.

    http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown2005/personalheal th/19e6ee82ea447010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

    "Welcome to the future of prosthetic limbs: true mind control. For the first time ever, an amputee need only think about a movement--picking up a glass, for instance--and the 12-pound Neuro-Controlled Bionic Arm dutifully coordinates the task. Electrodes intercept the limb's residual nerve firings and feed them to a computer embedded in the forearm, which then commands six motors to move the device's shoulder, elbow and hand in unison. Thanks to hand sensors, the wearer can even gauge pressure and fine-tune his grip.

    For now, the prototype arm fits just one man, Jesse Sullivan. This year, Sullivan demonstrated the device at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where doctors are working to refine it. A faster, more durable commercial version should be ready by 2008, but the ultimate goal is a robotic limb that functions as well as, if not better than, its human analogue."

    It isn't as good as an arm that allows for feeling, but hey, think of what happens when a bionic arm that allows you to feel has an error. Ouchies.

    1. Re:Best of What's New 2005 by c_forq · · Score: 2, Interesting

      what happens when a bionic arm that allows you to feel has an error.
      What happens if you have a phantom limb where a bionic arm gets put in place? Will you feel pain in the artificial arm?

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    2. Re:Best of What's New 2005 by FooAtWFU · · Score: 2, Interesting
      It isn't as good as an arm that allows for feeling, but hey, think of what happens when a bionic arm that allows you to feel has an error. Ouchies.

      Presumably there's some limitation in design the human-machine interface- the actual parts that stimulate the nerve endings to make them think they're feeling something- which would preclude them from generating any exceedingly intense pain.

      --
      The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
    3. Re:Best of What's New 2005 by Chazerizer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      First, about the phantom limb. A phantom limb is the sensation post amputation that the limb is really there. This is due to the fact that there are nerves which have been completely obliterated at their end points and have atrophied. Because these neurons tell the brain where the limb is, there is a position of the limb which is associated with the neurons not firing at all. The brain can become confused as it tries to sort out that the missing postural sensors are telling them something completely different than the other senses. The long and short of it is, with the prosthetic limb in place, its just another cue that the actual limb isn't there. Maybe the brain figures it out, and maybe it doesn't. Just a quick reply to the original post. The bionic arm isn't really bionic. Its completely outside the body. Electromusculogram (EMG) electrodes on the skin are used to interpret what the user wants to do. They're not really using the same pathways to generate the response as a normal person would. Those pathways are (for the most part), completely gone anyway. As I understand it, the prosthetic hand their working on actually attempts to latch on to some of those atrophying pathways, and use them to move the device. Ironically, this should actually keep them from atrophying any more.

    4. Re:Best of What's New 2005 by MarkCollette · · Score: 1

      Yes, of course we've designed that in.
      *whispers to assistant* Right?
      *response* Well, we were going to, in version 2.0
      Ummm, I'm going to have to get back to you on that one.
      *commotion, as they quickly shuffle away*

    5. Re:Best of What's New 2005 by skirov · · Score: 1

      Here is a link to a video of Jesse Sullivan with his bionic arm: WMV - http://www.ric.org/wmv/bionic_arm_BB.wmv RealPlayer - http://www.ric.org/real/bionic_arm_BB.ram

  12. End stroke, multijoint feedback? by Roskolnikov · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a pr0no I rented once......

    --
    Unix, an obscure operating system developed by bored researchers in an attempt to get a better game playing experience.
  13. So what happens when bionic hand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...meets bionic genetalia?

    1. Re:So what happens when bionic hand... by Roskolnikov · · Score: 1

      A squeezeplay or a mexican standoff?

      seriously this is a cool thing but the jokes will continue!

      --
      Unix, an obscure operating system developed by bored researchers in an attempt to get a better game playing experience.
  14. An Addendum: by abscondment · · Score: 2, Funny

    From the website:

    1. be felt by an amputee as the lost natural limb delivering her/him a natural sensory feedback by means of the stimulation of some specific afferent nerves;
    2. be controlled in a very natural way by processing the efferent neural signals coming from the central nervous system (reducing the discomfort of the current EMG-based control prosthesis);
    3. be endorsed by the Darth Vader foundation trust;
    4. be accessible to supervillians everywhere.
    1. Re:An Addendum: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      5. PROFIT!

  15. wait, did he just say.... by grasshoppa · · Score: 4, Funny

    The final prototype includes sensors for tension, force, joint angle, end stroke and contact."

    bwa hahahahhaah

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  16. Market size and other uses? by dada21 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What is the size of the market for people who need a new hand? I'm intrigued for seeing deeper into the business plan here.

    Are there profitable products that can be extended from this one? Maybe cybernetics for the non-handicapped in controlling machinery or possibly military purposes?

    I'm not saying that there shouldn't be research for the handicapped, I'm just trying to see how a corporation justifiesthe expenses.

    Or is this a government-funded (theft) product? If so, I'll say it is a waste.

    1. Re:Market size and other uses? by MrTester · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If you look at history you will find that war time always sees a boon in prosthetic and other medical technologies. We are getting a LOT of soldiers coming home with missing and damaged limbs, so there is a surge in trial patients, funding and general interest. Granted this is comming from Germany, not the US.... Doctor StrangeLove anyone?

    2. Re:Market size and other uses? by JuzzFunky · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd give my right arm for something like that!

      --
      Unexpect the expected!
    3. Re:Market size and other uses? by Kaptain+Kruton · · Score: 2, Informative

      What is the size of the market for people who need a new hand?
      It is probably the size of the existing market for prosthetic hands.

      Are there profitable products that can be extended from this one?
      Other prosthetic devices and limbs would probably be a good place to start.

      Maybe cybernetics for the non-handicapped in controlling machinery or possibly military purposes?
      It is worth looking into. But because these devices work by interacting with an individuals nerves/nervous system, I suspect that creating such devices will be unlikely. This is because a great deal of time and money would be spent to attatch a machine to the nerves, calibrate it, and learn to use it.

      I'm not saying that there shouldn't be research for the handicapped, I'm just trying to see how a corporation justifiesthe expenses.
      When you consider the fact that these devices will be very expensive (and insurance companies will probably pay most of that cost), the potential for profit is quite large. That sounds like justification.

      Or is this a government-funded (theft) product? If so, I'll say it is a waste.
      Ummmm.... why did you bring the government into this?

    4. Re:Market size and other uses? by merreborn · · Score: 1

      I'm just trying to see how a corporation justifies the expenses.

      We're talking about very high value stuff here. I'm sure the whole of the market is willing to pay thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars for these things, and insurance might cover them in some cases (although that may be a long shot).

      From this FAQ: There were 1,285,000 persons in the U.S. living with the limb loss (excluding fingers and toes) in 1996.

      And of course, this is an international market -- extending beyond the US.

      If you could sell a million of these things at $1,000 each, you're looking at a billion dollars in revenue. I'd say there's a niche here.

    5. Re:Market size and other uses? by dada21 · · Score: 1

      Awesome data, thanks.

      I couldn't RTA or google as my PDA wasn't getting DNS except what was cached.

    6. Re:Market size and other uses? by drmike0099 · · Score: 1

      Someone else mentioned this, but these are very high ticket items. Each one could probably go for $10-20k, if not more, just for the prosthesis. When mass produced, they're probably $1k to produce, so that's a pretty hefty profit that goes directly to the company selling it (there wouldn't be a middleman on this stuff since it's all "wholesale"). Batteries? Repairs and upgrades? Lots of money to be made. Also, patients would save up cash to make this investment themselves if their insurance wouldn't pay for it, which most probably would.

      There's also a big drive from the professional side I would imagine, since each of these would require individualization to the customer (since everyone's amputation is different) and possibly surgery depending on how they hook it to the nervous system. There's a lot of potential billings from those, as well as the ongoing care for it.

      That being said, most of these biomedical research things come out of a research institute, funded by either gov't or private funding, and then when they think they can make a product out of it, hop to the business world and get productized. The R&D costs are largely paid for already, and the only costs are in bringing it to market, so it's not nearly as expensive as if they were paying for this from scratch. I only skimmed the website, so not sure where on this continuum this project is.

    7. Re:Market size and other uses? by Eccles · · Score: 1

      What is the size of the market for people who need a new hand?

      Oh come on, there are plenty of secondhand shops.

      --
      Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
    8. Re:Market size and other uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why yes, I would love to go and see the movie with you...

    9. Re:Market size and other uses? by starbuzz · · Score: 1

      Surely you allude to Alien Hand Syndrome (cf. a recent scholarly article)

    10. Re:Market size and other uses? by DorkusMasterus · · Score: 1

      Mod this as flame if you must, but ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

      Just because it's funded by the government, then you must be right.

      NO one must need a new hand. Ever. Damn those Government bastards for using money on medical research and new technology. Seriously, why couldn't they take that money and just put it into something useful, like figuring out how to eradicate my lack of money. Or investigate why politics suck so much.

      That would be more worthwhile than medical/technological research. How dare the government use money for a responsible endeavor. Really...

    11. Re:Market size and other uses? by Vegeta99 · · Score: 1

      Next time you get in a wreck and the police have to close the road that the government built and the paramedics have to come because someone dialed the government-run 911 service, I'll call it a waste too.

      Just because something isn't useful for you doesn't mean its a waste, you stupid fuck.

    12. Re:Market size and other uses? by Firethorn · · Score: 1

      Considering the cost of fake legs, I'd tend to say that $10,000-100,000 would be a closer aproximation as to the cost.

      Think about it, would you sink the cost of a car into getting a hand if you've lost one?

      As far as the war goes, well, it's generating attention, but the actual amount of amputations is a low fraction of those caused by diabetes alone in this country. Industrial accidents also play a role.

      Now, yes, military wounded to tend to get the better limbs. This is both because the government can afford them, and the fact that you can be much more successful with them when you're working on replacing the leg of a young, otherwise fit individual.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
    13. Re:Market size and other uses? by Firethorn · · Score: 1

      Each one could probably go for $10-20k, if not more, just for the prosthesis. When mass produced, they're probably $1k to produce, so that's a pretty hefty profit that goes directly to the company selling it

      Given the very same reasons that you mention, $1k is likely to be the starting point for the basic materials.

      since each of these would require individualization to the customer (since everyone's amputation is different)

      Every hand is going to be essentially custom built. Beyond the exact point of amputation, you have different hand sizes, finger lengths(best to match against other hand), skin color, etc...

      You pay an expert $100 an hour for two weeks to construct your hand, and your labor cost is going to be around eight grand alone. I've read about foot/leg replacements, and each artificial leg is essentially a custom job. It's also almost an art form.

      That being said, most of these biomedical research things come out of a research institute, funded by either gov't or private funding, and then when they think they can make a product out of it, hop to the business world and get productized. The R&D costs are largely paid for already, and the only costs are in bringing it to market, so it's not nearly as expensive as if they were paying for this from scratch. I only skimmed the website, so not sure where on this continuum this project is.

      From my readings, Government research typically covers theoretical applications, basic science. Actual applications have to be developed by the company, then certification has to be obtained, mostly at great expense.

      Remember, if the evil companies are actually making money hand over fist, then generally somebody else enters the field to get some of that money, reducing the cost for all.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
  17. Additional Benefit: Corrected Speech! by geomon · · Score: 1

    After all, there are several Italians on the project.

    (don't worry, I'll handle this myself: boooooo!)

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
  18. Cyberware by Terminal+Saint · · Score: 2, Funny

    Uh oh, we all know what this means: the LARPers can start in on Cyberpunk and Shadowrun.

    --
    It's sad when choosing an installation directory on your own qualifies you as an "advanced user."
    1. Re:Cyberware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Beware the extra strength behind thrown wadded pieces of paper!

      Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!

    2. Re:Cyberware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      BritneySpears14: Ok, are you ready?
      eminemBNJA: Aight, yeah I'm ready.
      BritneySpears14: I like your music Em... Tee hee.
      eminemBNJA: huh huh, yeah, I make it for the ladies.
      BritneySpears14: Mmm, we like it a lot. Let me show you.
      BritneySpears14: I take off your pants, slowly, and massage your muscular physique.
      eminemBNJA: Oh I like that Baby. I put on my bionic arm.
      BritneySpears14: Oh, I like to play dress up. .....

      For all you who know this =P
      http://www.adamchance.com/funny.htm

  19. $6 million by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Excellent, now I just need 6 million dollars to become [voice=announcer]Bionic Man![/voice]

  20. Might I be the first patch submitter? by hkb · · Score: 2, Funny

    if( hand.Contents() ~= tubular && hand.Contents() == flesh)
    {
          strength = strength /10;
    }

    --
    /* Moderating all non-anonymous trolls up since 2004 */
    1. Re:Might I be the first patch submitter? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Won't somebody please think of the kittens?

  21. but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    does it run linux? can it play ogg?

  22. I can't get to the article, but... by Daneurysm · · Score: 1

    ...Who is this Martin Fink I'm hearing so much about?

    1. Re:I can't get to the article, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...Who is this Martin Fink I'm hearing so much about?

      http://www.hp.com/hpbooks/authors/fink.html

      Yes, I hate his ads, too.

    2. Re:I can't get to the article, but... by Daneurysm · · Score: 1

      ...Who is this Martin Fink I'm hearing so much about? http://www.hp.com/hpbooks/authors/fink.html Yes, I hate his ads, too.

      He's a snappy dresser, that's all.

  23. Alternatively... by hkb · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Wow, it really DOES feel like a stranger!"

    --
    /* Moderating all non-anonymous trolls up since 2004 */
  24. I hope they do a long-enough beta on this one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope the FDA makes do a long Beta Test.

  25. BBC article on a decent state of art hand. by zymano · · Score: 4, Informative
  26. The real question is... by avalys · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Being technically able to produce one of these things is all well and good, but the real question is how long it will be before they cost less than $100,000.

    --
    This space intentionally left blank.
  27. Neural interface by Chayak · · Score: 1

    Woo bionic hands... where is my neural jacks!

  28. Bionic eyes? by ichigo+2.0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Wonder how long till someone develops bionic eyes? I've been itching to ditch these failing organic meatballs called eyes for something better. High-def bionic eyes with zoom and night-vision would be pretty cool, not to mention the possibility of using them as a way to overlay information on top of stuff you see. Getting spyware could be quite annoying though, and if law enforcement had a way of remotely disabling them would suck, but maybe one could avoid that by running OS software on them. :)

    1. Re:Bionic eyes? by ajlitt · · Score: 2, Funny

      We already have zoom. It involves moving either your eye closer to the object or the object closer to your eye. Try it. It's amazing!

    2. Re:Bionic eyes? by rxmd · · Score: 1
      Getting spyware could be quite annoying though
      Not half as annoying as spam would be. Imagine a constant ad for enlargment products continuously scrolling right at the edge of your peripheral vision. In Russian. Blinking. No spyware in the world could be as annoying as that.

      (*runs off to the patent office*) :)
      --
      As a state gets corrupt, its laws multiply; the most corrupt states have the most numerous laws. (Tacitus, Annales 3:27)
    3. Re:Bionic eyes? by ichigo+2.0 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wow, you're right, it works! I even came up with a way to automate it, just install rails on the sides of your head and put the object on them, with the help of a electric motor zooming in and out can be as easy as breathing! It gets a bit difficult when you want to zoom at an object far away though, when I installed longer rails I wasn't able to turn my head any more! But I think I have it sorted out now by using a tripod to support my head. Now I just need to file for a patent, now where did I put that form again...

    4. Re:Bionic eyes? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 2, Funny

      Obligatory Red Dwarf quote?

      (from memory)
      Kryten (as human): "I can't seem to activate my 'zoom' function. How can I bring a distant object into sharp focus?"
      Lister: "Uh. You just move your head closer to the object."
      Kryten: "What about other optical effects? Slow-motion? Split-screen? Quantel?"

    5. Re:Bionic eyes? by glitch23 · · Score: 0

      I can't see that happening, but maybe if I had the bionic eyes then I could.

      --
      this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. -- Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
    6. Re:Bionic eyes? by Kaptain+Kruton · · Score: 1

      In a sense they already do have simple 'bionic eyes.' While they are by no means high definition (actually, they are almost as low-def as you can get), they are a step forward. I have seen stories on a blind person that had some circuitry inserted into his eye that consisted of a 4x4 array of sensors.... these electrodes could then allow the person to detect light and movement. I have also read that similar projects are in the works that will use more electrodes and will allow a slightly 'higher-def.' I have also read though that the paticular method they are using will still be limited, even as technology progresses, and to get something that will truly be able to replace vision, they will have to find other methods/techniques and have better technology. Search for 'bionic eyes' on Google and within the first couple links you will see articles to the things I am referring.

    7. Re:Bionic eyes? by ajlitt · · Score: 1

      "Now then, my nipples don't work."

  29. Hand, by HunterZ · · Score: 1

    For some reason I thought of Red Dwarf instead of Star Wars when I saw this article...

    "Hand, pick up the ball!"

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  30. Give these guys a hand... by charlie763 · · Score: 1

    A hand that won't get tired? My girlfriend will love this. And by "girlfriend," I mean myself. With three hand I'll be able to pleasure myself *and* post foul comments on Slashdot. W00t!

    --
    Welcome to the land of the free...pay toll ahead...no photography...please open your bag...
  31. Finally!!!!!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We'll all finally know what it's like to have another "hand" touching ourselves! :D

  32. The important questions by ichigo+2.0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah but does it run linux?

    Imagine a beowulf cluster of these!

    In Soviet Russia, hand grabs you!

    Hey, I'm a bionic man you insensitive clod!

  33. obligatory wayne's world quote by Hoohoodilly · · Score: 2, Funny

    Garth: You didn't say 2 or 1.
    Producer: Oh. You don't say 2 or 1.
    Garth: Why not?
    Producer: You just don't. Mmm-kay?

  34. Obligatory Spinal Tap Reference by geomon · · Score: 2, Funny

    if( hand.Contents() ~= tubular && hand.Contents() == flesh)
    {
                strength = strength /11;
    }

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
  35. MOD PARENT FUNNAY by Orrin+Bloquy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    If only for the reviews.

    --
    "Made up/misattributed quote that makes me look smart. I am on /. and I must look smart."
    1. Re:MOD PARENT FUNNAY by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Thanks.

      I think that some people are abusing their mod points. It's kind of obvious that they didn't even check the link before modding.

      Thanks for checking the link; those reviews are pure comedy gold.

      --

      ---
      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
    2. Re:MOD PARENT FUNNAY by panth0r · · Score: 1

      I agree, and not as AC, this is good stuff... hilarious find (or buy...?). Mod me up and then, if you have nay points left, mod the parent ;).

      --
      I like suggestions, but I don't like contributing towards them.
  36. T'was my bionic hand by AutopsyReport · · Score: 1

    So next time you grab ass, in your defense just remember your bionic hand has a mind of it's own...

    --

    For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

    1. Re:T'was my bionic hand by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      I hardly think you have to worry about the brain wanting to do the grab-ass part! *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  37. Arm? I want a full on cyborg! by vertinox · · Score: 1

    Actually, I've been watching too much Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex, but if we have full (at least prototype) cyborg bodies by 2015 whe should be keeping up to the stories time line. Although, the Major should be in her 25-30ish and according to the plot line she had her cyborg body around age 9 which would be any day now.

    --
    "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
    -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
    1. Re:Arm? I want a full on cyborg! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Watching Ghost in the shell, I also realized that if machines become more and more a part of us, can we escape the fact that we are also risking getting infected by machine/computer viruses besides common garden variety AIDS and Ebola viruses?

    2. Re:Arm? I want a full on cyborg! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The plot of Ghost in the Shell the anime series had her in her 30's or so, as you previously mentioned. However I am curious if the original character in the comic could have been much older? A young person could probably adapt to a cybernetic body faster but an older person would have a lot more combat experience which would be extremely important in her line of work. Her mind (I believe that her brain is the only left of her physical body) could be 50 or 60 years old and it really would not make too much of a difference (barring degeneration of an elderly brain).

  38. Nerve Endings? by cartel · · Score: 1

    How could they possibly (correctly) reconnect all the nerve endings?

    1. Re:Nerve Endings? by c_fel · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually they can use the nerves that usally fit the best for the movements needed. But anyway, it doesn't have to be the exact same nerve : it's sure that a full reeducation is necessary. First, the feelings won't be the same as the ones the patient is used to. Second, the arm won't react exactly like a true arm.

      But the brain is very capable to learn how to manipulate the new arm : it just takes minutes to actually "see" an image with an electrode on the tongue, with eyes shut (with the electrode connected on a camera). The brain learns that what it receives now on the tongue is a visual information and not a taste. So the fact that we usually don't see with our tongue is not a matter. It's the samething with the feeling of the new arm.

      --
      I hate all sigs, mine included.
  39. Bionic power supply by netrangerrr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In the 6 Million Dollar Man, the bionic implants used a small nuclear power supply - in one episode it had to be replaced. How do you supply power for any kind of extended operation for a bionic hand? It seems that like many mobile/implantable technologies, the ability to provide an extended power source is lagging. The batteries for a 24 hour operating capability probably weigh several times more than all of the electronics, sensors, and electro-elastic polymer "motors".

    --
    "As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
    1. Re:Bionic power supply by Mortlath · · Score: 1

      There was a story here on Slashdot a while back that talked about using blood as a power source. I imagine that one would have to eat a lot of carbohydrates to keep their implant working however.

    2. Re:Bionic power supply by DorkusMasterus · · Score: 1

      There goes my Adkins diet!

  40. As a partial thumb amputee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I suspect it'll be quite a while before we can provide "natural" sensation from a prosthesis.

    I have my own nerve endings in my "repaired" thumbtip, and while 7 years have helped my mind remap what was the center of my thumb to useful tip-of-the-thumb sensations, it still feels strange every single time I touch something. Pressure sensations are the strangest.

    How much harder must it be to try to tap into nerve endings further up the arm and get you to make sense of them?

    BTW: watch what you're doing with your hands. They're out front of you and in danger all day long. It's particularly a bitch to lose use of your favored thumb. Think about learning to do EVERYTHING over again - starting with wiping your tail or pointing your unit - and you'll still not even begin to appreciate how much you do with your thumb and your hands.

    Recipients of prostheses such as these will have that difficult learning curve, probably moreso since a computer is mediating - but are assuredly fortunate to have the opportunity to do so.

    1. Re:As a partial thumb amputee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I sympathize, I cut off only a bit more than 1/8" of the tip of my right (dominant) thumb, and even after it healed and sort of grew back I couldn't pick up flat things (like coins) for a few months because I couldn't figure out how to grip them. I find myself using the side or front of the thumb to operate buttons and controls that I used to use with the tip, too. Its odd. I'm fortunate that I didn't cut it further down, though.

    2. Re:As a partial thumb amputee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, I had "PTSD" replaying-style symptoms about the incident for a couple weeks - till I realized I could've flinched another way and buzzed off all 4 fingers...I figured I got off cheap for a dumb mistake.

  41. Alternative link by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 1

    Since the /. editors altered the original link, here's the one i provided:

    http://physorg.com/news8527.html

    Hope that's not slashdotted now.
    (And no, don't use coral caché on this, let's get even at their annoying ads ;-) )

  42. IM Sirius by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    I want a third arm installed for skiboxing. The second head can wait until I need to try one of those neural implants.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:IM Sirius by Cheese+Grits · · Score: 0

      Can it really have taken this long for someone to make a Zaphod joke?

  43. So now can I say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *6 million dollar man sound*

  44. So... by HappyCakeOven · · Score: 1

    how soon until it can grapple onto buildings so I can swing around ala Bionic Commando?

    --
    It makes real cupcakes, with a 40 watt bulb, and there's icing packets....but the secret ingredient is love.
  45. What if you had two normal hands now? by sgant · · Score: 1

    Was thinking: I have two normal arms and hands now, but could I attach another set of bionic arms and hands?

    How about bionic tentacles? Like 4 metal bionic tentacles attached...I don't know...to my spinal cord somehow. Would that be possible? Make them really strong too, and extendable.

    Yeah...that's the ticket! Then I will make them pay! Oh yes, I will make them ALL pay! MWHAHAHAHA! Laugh at me now will you!

    --

    "Leo Fender was in a 'state of grace' when he designed the Stratocaster." -- Paul Reed Smith
    1. Re:What if you had two normal hands now? by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1
      How about bionic tentacles? Like 4 metal bionic tentacles attached...I don't know...to my spinal cord somehow. Would that be possible?
      Don't worry, as soon as it is indeed possible you will find out... from the next porno video you watch.
    2. Re:What if you had two normal hands now? by j235 · · Score: 1

      I want nanobot-controlled braided-carbon-nanotube tentacles attached to my spinal cord.
      imagine the possibilities... i'd become a spy :D

  46. bah by rayde · · Score: 1

    i've already got one.

  47. Rosie the Robotic Palm and Her Five Bionic Sisters by Ranger · · Score: 1

    Slashdotters are the perfect test market for bionic hands. Say hello to Rosy the Robotic Palm and Her Five Bionic Sisters. If they can't wear it out from repetitive motion, no one else will. Ooh, what a shocker!

    --
    "You'll get nothing, and you'll like it!"
  48. Finally... by TechnoGuyRob · · Score: 1

    I won't have to take piano lessons because my bionic hands will be programmable Mozarts!

  49. Official Link with graphics and video downloads . by zymano · · Score: 1, Informative
  50. Immagine the applications by Bushido+Hacks · · Score: 1

    *Duh-na-na-na-na-na!* *Duh-na-na-na-na-na!* *Duh-na-na-na-na-na!* "Billy! I had to pay a fortune for you to have bionic hands, I sure as heck am NOT going to pay for you're bionic eyes if you don't stop touching yourself!"

    --
    The Rapture is NOT an exit strategy.
    1. Re:Immagine the applications by CarlHungus · · Score: 0

      Do bionic palms grow bionic hairs?

    2. Re:Immagine the applications by Bushido+Hacks · · Score: 1

      It does seem likely. How does a tree grow out of a rock?

      --
      The Rapture is NOT an exit strategy.
    3. Re:Immagine the applications by CarlHungus · · Score: 0

      That's lucky. If they did, Poor blind billy would be spending a fortune on razor blades.

  51. Heat concerns. by ShadowBlasko · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As I know someone with partially servo controlled limb, I occasionally get to read some of the literature that is targeted towards people who need such devices. Something that seems to be a constant concern is heat dissapation.

    The loss of a hand is a tremendous blow to the bodies ability to cool itself, and the addition of anything that creates additional heat is usually considered to be non-starter.

    As I am unable to read the article from here I can not see if that is addressed within, but I am curious as to if there were any comments regarding it.

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order- Ed Howdershelt Via Tass
    1. Re:Heat concerns. by timbo234 · · Score: 2, Interesting


      The loss of a hand is a tremendous blow to the bodies ability to cool itself, and the addition of anything that creates additional heat is usually considered to be non-starter.


      I don't understand - how does the loss of a relatively small body part like the hand (or even a whole limb) wreck the body's cooling system?

      --
      Pre-canned Evolution Links for all those Slashdot holy wars.
    2. Re:Heat concerns. by Kuciwalker · · Score: 1, Informative

      The hand has a large surface area to volume ratio, and a lot of blood circulates through it. This allows it to dissipate a lot of heat into the air.

    3. Re:Heat concerns. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought something like 90% of your body heat is dissipated through your head? I really can't see how the loss of one's hand can really pose such a problem in regulating one's body temperature.

  52. More practical applications by Bushido+Hacks · · Score: 1

    You can go as Thing and Uncle Fester at the same time!
    Creap out the neighbors when they seen a hand running down the street.
    If you already have hands, double your typing productivity as Four-arms-man!
    Scare the crap out of your family by putting your hand it the garbage disposal, a second time!
    One up that guy who is dressed up at Bato from Ghost in the Shell.
    Join a bowling team.
    High five someone from across the room!

    --
    The Rapture is NOT an exit strategy.
    1. Re:More practical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "If you already have hands, double your typing productivity as Four-arms-man!"

      Too late.
      Morgan Stryker was already invented.

      http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/s/stryker.htm

  53. Forget that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Where are our Waldoes?

  54. Haven't I seen this before? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think Doc Oc already made a Beowulf cluster of these...

  55. The official link with movie downloads. by zymano · · Score: 1
  56. Go Go Gadget Hand! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I want to see one on a retractable winch mounted in the forearm. Pitch your hand across the room or into the air (tree, rooftop) to grab something, then wind in the line.

    Or for more fun, put Bluetooth TX/RX pairs in the hand and arm, and control it autonomously. I'm gonna make a mint selling programs to fetch a beer from the fridge.

  57. Someone had to say it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What is the sound of one hand clapping

  58. The perfect bionic implant for any Slashdot reader by ProppaT · · Score: 1

    I least I know I'm looking forward to a robotically enhanced "end stroke."

    --
    Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
  59. Bionic hand??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *thwack!* ARRGH!!! *thwack!* ARRGH!!! *thwack!* ARRRRRRGH!!!!

    Whew... think the docs need to work on that pressure sensitivity!

  60. Be careful! Never tell the hand to... by winkydink · · Score: 1

    jerk it off.

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

  61. Maybe...? by Atario · · Score: 1

    Attach a lot of heat-pipes and fins to yourself? Maybe with blood as the coolant fluid?

    Would look cool as hell, if a bit impractical.

    On the other hand (heh), you could crank up the cooling for energy dissipation as a path to body fat reduction.

    --
    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
  62. I've just got one thing to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "...Groovy."

    P.S. Ash has the patent - the year was 1300 AD, and he was a slave.

  63. Obligs by accessdeniednsp · · Score: 1

    Imagine a beowulf cluster of bionic hands!

    I, for one, welcome our new bionic hand overlords!

    Oblig! Oblig! Blig?

  64. Serious Response to Joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're basically describing the ability for people to make themselves leprous. People will injure themselves if they turn off their ability to feel pain. Equipping people with a signal that nonpainfully indicates painful actions.

  65. Disgusting by Rib+Feast · · Score: 1

    The final prototype includes sensors for tension, force, joint angle, end stroke and contact

    End stroke? Is that really necessary? Disgusting, just disgusting...

  66. Which Reminds Me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    that what we _really_ need is some bionic ass!

  67. b.i.o.n.i.c... hands... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    strogg!!!

  68. Mom...Please... by sage2k6 · · Score: 1

    I want this for Christmas... Pleeeeeeeeeese?

    --

    -----
    "If everything seems to be going well, you obviously don't know what the hell is going on." - Murphy's Law
  69. And Stelarc as well by Traf-O-Data-Hater · · Score: 1

    I had Stelarc as my art teacher, many years ago in Japan. He has a third hand: http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/third/third.html/

  70. yar. by Ricken · · Score: 1

    Woah, if they'd put a cellphone and mp3-player in that thing, I'd cut my arm off and go buy one. Cool.

  71. the tech might be wiz bang but the articulation.. by shotgunefx · · Score: 1

    The sensors aspect is wiz bang but the articulation is an old puppetry idea...

    "Each of the five fingers is articulated and has one motor dedicated to its joint flexing for autonomous control. It features an opposable thumb, so the device can perform different grasping actions.

    Taking inspiration from the real hand, where a muscle pulls a tendon inside a synovial sheath, CYBERHAND's finger cables run through a Teflon sheath pulled by a DC motor.

    I made something like this in the late 80s when I did FX. I in turned read about it in GoreZone and some instructional videos. :)

    Normally for the fingers you'd use stiff hex shaped plastic air tubing as making or purchasing metal armetures was expensive.

    You'd cut notches out where they were to flex. You'd use teflon coated tubing with a wire (bike brake cable basically) and attach one end to the fingertip and the other to a motor or a set of rings so you could operate the fingers remotely via remotely or your own hand motions.

    You can actually get a good range of motion and even grasp things decently (and this is with plastic tubing).

    So I'm curious, in the area of limb replacement, is this the first time the overall design was applied? I'd be really suprised if it were.

    --

    -William Shatner can be neither created nor destroyed.
  72. Can't believe no one else said this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With my new robot hands, I can play the holophone!

  73. Re:Be careful! Never tell the hand to... by hotdiggitydawg · · Score: 1

    I'd also be worried about running "finger" on localhost...

  74. obligatory 3m plug by g0bshiTe · · Score: 1

    We didn't make your flesh hand, we made your bionic hand better.

    --
    I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
  75. bionic commando 2! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd gladly give up my ability to jump to have a bionic hand that could grapple onto object and swing!

  76. what kind of connector is used for the nerves? by wcanevari · · Score: 1

    just think... if they bundle all the nerve endings into a central connector; (a 500pin perhaps?), you could then unscrew the hand, and screw your wrist direcly to another controllable machine. For instance, your car, jet plane, keyboard, server, forklift, firearm, or cellphone.

  77. New hands? by srussell · · Score: 1
    This is awsome. It'll be even better when they figure out how to attach these to people who already have two working hands.

    Dibs on the name "Doctor Octopus".

    --- SER