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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."
The important question is: does it come in shiny brass color, and can it hold a lightsaber?
Finally, I will no longer live in fear of being introduced to counts, those cute lovable jawas, having a drink at the Cantina, bringing prey back to my cave, being reunited with my father or vice versa!
Yes sir, I can now tell the next robed guy where to shove it when I'm told his aren't the droids I'm looking for.
My work here is dung.
Anyone know anything about the cost of these things? The cynic in me is imagining lawyers feverishly rewriting health insurance coverage clauses. I hope that as it becomes widespread, that "joe war-amputee" can afford it.
u-bend
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.
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I have a mentally retarded brother-in-law who has hands we call "the grips of steel." He's mentally like a 2 year old but physically like a 25 year old in great shape. When he grips onto you, he can break bones, and leave a bruise at the minimum. It's impossible to get out of his kung-fu grip, so we don't hold his hand anymore but his wrist.
I always think of prosthetic hands when I have to help him into or out of a car or down steps. If the hand doesn't respond to the user, or if the user has a bad mental reaction, I wonder how much force can be applied by the prosthetic. Car windows aren't supposed to choke you if they're closed around your neck, but a prosthetic hand has to have the right balance of strength AND speed. What is the back-up release mechanism if there's a problem?
These people look really happy. I'm so excited for them. To have regained this much manipulation is amazing. Best of luck for these patients and this company
does anyone have any idea how strong (grip strength, shock resistant, etc) these hands are? i notice theres diagram in the article showing a 'power grip', but it doesn't go into detail on its limits.
...did anyone else reading the headline first think that the hand escaped and found its own way to the market?
This isn't the first myoelectric (muscle-powered) prosthesis to make it to market. There have been a few. These devices basically work by detecting electrical signals in muscles near the end of the remaining limb. What's really cool is the stuff in development using actual nerve signals instead. These could prove to be much more powerful because the nerves carry much more information and would allow for much finer control than you can get with myoelectric prostheses. Still, myoelectric is significantly better than passive prostheses.
This replaces the hook as my limb-replacement of choice.
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.
21st-Century-Citizen
But does it run Linux? Of course, Linux runs on Palm devices!
One ring to bind them - should probably have more fiber and less rings in their diet.
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
The worlds first bionic hand job. This also brings new meaning to the "stranger"
Well if they aren't going to create a Bionic women, a Bionic hand is the next best thing I guess. This may cause some very interesting trips to the ER.