Finnish Guy Gets Prosthetic USB Finger Storage

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Finnish Guy Gets Prosthetic USB Finger Storage

Posted by samzenpus on Friday March 13, 2009 @07:39AM from the I'd-still-choose-a-shotgun-leg dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Jerry had a motorcycle accident last May and lost a finger. When the doctor working on the artificial finger heard he is a hacker, the immediate suggestion was to embed a USB 'finger drive' to the design. Now he carries a Billix Linux distribution as part of his hand."

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Cool by JWW · 2009-03-13 07:41 · Score: 3, Funny

This is really cool.
Now... where'd I put that knife....?
1. Re:Cool by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-13 08:17 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  He can also boot linux while performing the shocker.
2. Re:Cool by denzacar · 2009-03-13 11:03 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Just a couple of nights ago, I was thinking about something similar. Not "where's my knife?" but regarding prosthetic limbs.
  Why are researchers out there trying to recreate five-fingered prosthetic hands when for example three-fingered hand could do most things you need thumbs for?
  Two extra fingers could be used for detachable USB drives, bluetooth communication with a "palm-computer" built into the hand, mobile phone, mp3 and video players...
  Talk to the hand could get a whole new meaning...
  
  --
  Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
how is this useful? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-13 07:43 · Score: 3, Insightful

he still would type with all of his fingers, right? so wouldn't sticking his finger in a usb slot make it that much harder to type?
1. Re:how is this useful? by Smiling_Jack · 2009-03-13 07:45 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It's a prosthetic finger, right? I imagine it detaches. One hopes it's not actually bolted onto his hand.
2. Re:how is this useful? by MBGMorden · 2009-03-13 07:48 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Either that or I can imagine this guy plugged into his Linux box yelling "WHOA . . . I know kung-fu!".
  
  --
  "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
3. Re:how is this useful? by phantomfive · 2009-03-13 07:52 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  You can see some better pictures on his flickr stream. It looks like he has several fingers he can put on at different times. Also, it appears to be a slot in one of the fingers where he can stash some flash cards. I am not sure you'd really be typing very well with such a finger, it might just be easier to learn to type just using your other fingers. The pinky already takes care of a ton of the keys geeks use [{]}\|=+-_/?'" so adding in a couple more wouldn't be too bad I would think.
  
  --
  Qxe4
4. Re:how is this useful? by eln · 2009-03-13 08:15 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  he still would type with all of his fingers, right? so wouldn't sticking his finger in a usb slot make it that much harder to type?
  No worries, this guy strikes me as the type who's used to typing one-handed.
5. Re:how is this useful? by slyn · 2009-03-13 08:34 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  If you take a look at his flickr photostream, you can see its just a small rubber finger that functions as a small USB flash drive and nerd attractor.
6. Re:how is this useful? by jsiren · 2009-03-13 08:36 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  The digit in question seems to be the left ring finger. Depends on one's typing style which particular keys would fall under that finger, but I find I use it mostly on the 1qwa<zx keys. See Finnish keyboard layout for reference, and while you're at it, take a moment to appreciate the pure genius that is the placement of all the characters essential in programming, particularly the Perl language, such as @$\|{[]}. My right wrist hurts even as I think about this.
  
  --
  Usage: km/h for speed (kilometers per hour); kph for very slow impulses (kilopond hours).
Awkward to use... by MaineCoon · 2009-03-13 07:43 · Score: 2, Funny

... if it isn't detachable, and he has to keep his 'finger' plugged in all the time it is in use.

--
Hunt your preferred prey at Aliens vs Predator MUD. Join the war at avpmud.com port 4000
1. Re:Awkward to use... by QuantumRiff · 2009-03-13 08:05 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Not to mention airport security..
  
  --
  
  What are we going to do tonight Brain?
Only 2Gb? by homesnatch · 2009-03-13 07:50 · Score: 4, Funny

Why skimp and only use a 2Gb finger drive? Surely you can justify paying extra for the 32Gb model?
Bastard, showing his middle finger to everybody.. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-13 07:50 · Score: 5, Funny

And yes, it does run Linux.
And for the circular saw hobbyists: you can have a beowulf cluster of these...
I got your files. by internerdj · 2009-03-13 07:50 · Score: 5, Funny

Right here.
He's really from the future... by hal2814 · 2009-03-13 07:57 · Score: 3, Funny

He actually has 5 prosthetic USB keys for his fingers and when he finds them all he'll learn that he's really a robot sent back in time to resurrect the human race after an alien invasion and radioactive plague.
Secure in their persons... by JayPee · 2009-03-13 08:01 · Score: 5, Interesting

I'm curious about the 4th Amendment aspects of this.
Since U.S. customs can pretty much search your laptop with impunity at the border, what about this thing since it's part of your "person".
1. Re:Secure in their persons... by cplusplus · 2009-03-13 08:09 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I think they can search an artificial limb for drugs and such. Would similar rules apply here?
  
  --
  "False hope is why we'll never run out of natural resources!" - Lewis Black
Re:Worth it by sakdoctor · 2009-03-13 08:08 · Score: 4, Funny

People just don't want 3.5" floppies these days.
Lots of possibilities by rmcd · 2009-03-13 08:34 · Score: 4, Funny

This gives a new meaning to digital storage.
And when he's running linux and he "fingers" someone, he really means it!
Linux on the desktop .. by koutbo6 · 2009-03-13 08:41 · Score: 3, Funny

is finnished!

--
You speak London? I speak London very best.
But WILL IT BLEND? by Dogbertius · 2009-03-13 09:45 · Score: 2, Funny

But WILL IT BLEND?
Groinal socket ala Kryten by Sumbius · 2009-03-14 08:43 · Score: 2, Funny

USB fingers are cool, but if you really want to show everyone who's boss you will need a USB Groin Attachment Socket(tm). Just think about plucking your groin in a USB drive of a library computer... The ladies will like it too. "Small USB memory detected. Booting up Groinal Linux..." Now where did I leave my scissors?...