Bionic Hand Makes it to Market

root_42 writes "The BBC reports that a Scottish company has developed a bionic prosthetic hand, which is now going to market: 'The thumb and fingers can move and grip just like a human hand and are controlled by the patient's mind and muscles ... Mr Gow, who is the director of rehabilitation engineering services at NHS Lothian, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "It's the first hand to come to the market that's actually had bending fingers just like your own hand."' The device really seems very "cool", compared to other prosthetics, and seems to allow the patients a wide variety of day-to-day activities. Also check out the patient gallery."

Comments

Feedback or Senses?

[tb3]

It sounds from the article ("Now I can pick up a Styrofoam cup without crushing it. With my other hand, I would really have to concentrate on how much pressure I was putting on the cup.") that there's some form of feedback mechanism, but I thought that was years away. Without pressure sensors, a you really have is a 'Waldo' attached to your wrist, you've got no way of knowing how much force you're exerting on an object.

Then, of course, you really want the rest of the sensory package, touch, temperature, pain feedback, and all the other things your hands do for you.

Two words:

[ringfinger]

"Awesome Attachments!"

I can't imagine making something like this without attachments that extend it's use beyond that of the human hand.

The goal shouldn't be to replace a hand, it should be to provide something much cooler.