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DARPA's Artificial Arm Comes With VR Training

An anonymous reader writes "The first prototype of an artificial limb commissioned by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency can reportedly be controlled naturally, provide sensory feedback and allows for eight degrees of freedom — way beyond the current state of the art for prosthetic limbs. Oh yeah, it also has its own VR environment to learn how to use it."

19 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. Will this prosthetic arm by Travoltus · · Score: 3, Funny

    cost me a leg?

    *wonk wonk wonk*
    *eyes rolling all around the world* :)

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    --- Grow a pair, liberals... stop letting the Republicans bully you!
  2. And the sad part is by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    There are probably a few geeks out there considering amputating their own arm so they getting one of these prosthetics to play with.

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    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  3. Is it possible by DogDude · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Call me cynical, but it is possible that companies making *very* expensive, prosthetic limbs for the Defense Department that happens to have many, MANY soldiers coming back missing limbs, that the companies involved with making these things could be considered one of the defense contractors that are pretty happy about the current war-happy administration?

    That would be disturbing.

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    I don't respond to AC's.
    1. Re:Is it possible by dreamchaser · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Of course it's possible. War has always driven technology development in various fields, including medical applications.

  4. Really bad taste... by zappepcs · · Score: 2, Funny

    Will the VR environment help you play doom?

    Will it be programmed to prevent the wearer from going on a shooting rampage?

    If the wearer uses it to masturbate, does they violate any laws?

  5. Re:I want an extra! by ryeinn · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think I would want to know what those eight degrees are before signing up. I mean, if they're all the normal articulation points, plus rotations and open/closing the hand, cool. If maybe two are motion and the rest are crap like the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press and so on...well, I don't want to give an opening for these to go from Robot-arm servants to Robot-arm overlords. And letting our arms get their fair say in the media is only the first step...

  6. I hope this dosen't... by Brad1138 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Start a new "arms" race...

    Very sorry, had to say it.

    --
    If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
  7. Re:I want an extra! by fractoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    still waiting for virtual-reality head. fixt.
    --
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  8. Why yes they are by pizzach · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have an artificial leg for the last 11 years. (It was amputated when I was 12 because of bone cancer.) Talking to the doctor when He was fitting me for my newest model, I learned that development is speeding up again because of more income. Insurance companies are afraid to say "no" to more technically sophisticated (read expensive) artificial limbs with all of the returning soldiers. Insurance companies either get overly stingy or give too much. It's during periods like this that I should get a new model made.

    I am happy with my handy dandy new cleg. I just wish I didn't get the feeling that I have to out think the CPU sometimes. It's taken about 8 months to not walk like a total retard, but I still haven't gotten to the point where people don't look at me funny. On the bright side, I can do roller blading and ice skating with this knee. That is a great way to pick up chicks along with my sexy leopard print socket.

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    1. Re:Why yes they are by svunt · · Score: 2, Funny

      Talking to the doctor when He was fitting me for my newest model
      Damn, your doctor must be good to deserve a capitalised He :)
  9. Re:I want an extra! by xubu_caapn · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ah, okay. Maybe I haven't been around here long enough to realize it :)

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    FYI: I don't know what you guys are talking about half the time.
  10. So a beowulf cluster of these... by doyoulikeworms · · Score: 4, Funny

    would be a virtual circle jerk?

  11. Nothing New: by horli · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.ottobock.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-3F574DD1- 4F9E32A8/ob_com_en/hs.xsl/384.html The biggest *practical* problem is not sensoring or the number of degrees but battery lifetime vs. size and weight. Otto Bock hands are outstanding in energy efficiency and miniaturization. The dominate the market with outstanding technology for over 30 years. (nerve sensors to direct the hand were invented 30 years ago by them; 'MyoBock') They incorporate the world smallest automatic gearbox (patented). http://www.google.at/patents?id=oAUiAAAAEBAJ&dq=ed uard+horvath http://www.google.at/patents?id=0dAmAAAAEBAJ&dq=ed uard+horvath http://www.google.at/patents?id=nHsPAAAAEBAJ&dq=ed uard+horvath http://www.google.at/patents?id=SDc3AAAAEBAJ&dq=ed uard+horvath

  12. I'm glad to see this use of military $$$ by NixieBunny · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm married to an amputee, and I am not happy with the current administration's use of my tax dollars going to the other side of the world to cause a ruckus. It's nice that the government is finally supporting work in this area. It's one good outcome from this ill-conceived war.

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  13. Also available by psaunders · · Score: 2, Funny

    Luke Skywalker's replacement right duelling hand. Optional black glove accessory. Lightsaber not included.

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  14. Re:I want an extra! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new karma-whoring joke-ruining overlords.

  15. Re:I want an extra! by zippthorne · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, it was a clear Kharma-whoring sneak-in. It's just a "joke" because he got caught. I, too, don't understand the why though. It's not like there's a number anymore, or that it's hard to get Excellent Kharma. All you gotta do is like five posts or so that people find useful.

    If you think your kharma is too low, just refrain from posting unless you have something to say. Even things that are counter to the "groupthink" get modded up if they're at least one of well-written, insightful, or refrain from excessive name-calling.

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  16. USB port included? by Circlotron · · Score: 5, Funny

    If it has eight degrees of freedom or whatever, it'd be neat if it had a USB port so while you were asleep you could rent it out to do CNC work, have it do your homework, feed the cat, tidy your room etc. Step right up folks. See the human XY plotter. Dang you could carve good statues! Eventually if they become common enough we might see them available on eBay "second hand". Who's that sponsoring the development? The "army"?

  17. DEKA by Mazin07 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dean Kamen (who also brought us the Segway) was showing this off in Atlanta. Currently, it's like a remote. One guy wears a sensory "exo-arm" whose movements are copied by the robotic arm. It's kind of laggy and there's no sensory feedback, but allows for some pretty precise and complex movements.

    What they haven't done yet is allow a person who is missing an arm to actually control it. That's the hard part. Dean just did the mechanics of it.