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Luke Prosthetic Arm Approved By FDA

Posted by Soulskill on from the we-have-the-technology dept.

necro81 writes: "The FDA today approved the Luke prosthetic arm for sale. The Luke Arm, created by Dean Kamen's DEKA R&D Corp., was a project initiated by DARPA to develop a prosthetic arm for wounded warriors more advanced than those previously available. The Arm can be configured for below-the-elbow, above-the-elbow, and shoulder-level amputees. The full arm has 10 powered degrees of freedom and has the look and weight of the arm it replaces. Through trials by DEKA and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the Arm has been used by dozens of amputees for a total of many thousands of hours. Commercialization is still pending."

3 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Why the hell... by Bartles · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...does the FDA have to approve a non-implanted prosthetic? Why are prosthetics so expensive?

  2. Re:Segway by EvanED · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That's where I have been having personal issues lately - all engineering jobs are for creating worthless consumer crap; like the Segway.

    Keep in mind that the technology behind the Segway wasn't invented for the Segway; it was invented for this wheelchair.

    The Segway got the attention because it's something that had the potential to have a much broader market, considering that the population that can't walk is pretty small.

  3. Re:Enhancements by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Be careful what you wish for. Do you want to hear at your next job interview "We'd hire you, but since your limb cannot be replaced with a tool we want, you'll be 20% slower than someone who can. Of course, if you're willing to throw away your arm for the tool... What, if you really wanted the job you'd go that extra inch. You're just not committed, but we'll find someone who is".

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.