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."

Hmmmm

[alexj33 (968322)]

The important question is: does it come in shiny brass color, and can it hold a lightsaber?

Re:

[Red Weasel (166333)]

I was more leaning toward a retractable spur and an integrated smart-link.

Now we just need a violin player and well be all set.

Two words:

[ringfinger (629332)]

"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.

Re:

[TigerNut (718742)]

Better think way out of the box then. We have about a zillion things that are designed to be gripped and operated by a person's hand(s). Removing that interface requires that you adapt all those tools to be compatible with the next physical interface point (such as the elbow or shoulder?), as well as figuring out a logical control scheme that is as intuitive as what everyone is familiar with. Direct neural control of an angle grinder, for example, isn't very compelling to me. If you had a hand with hardwire

Re:Two words:

[SatanicPuppy (611928)]

It's surprising how your brain adapts to process different types of nerve input. Like, if your prosthetic hand always gave you the sensation of cold when you pointed it in a northern direction, or the sensation of heat whenever you passed it near a "live" electrical source, or a strong magnetic field. They've got a device that allows you to "see" with your tongue [bbc.co.uk], and brain scans of the people using the device show that the visual cortext is active and processing...even in people who are blind from birth.

So a limited signal palette is not necessarily a handicap, though the bandwidth obviously depends on nerve density, etc.

Re:

[SatanicPuppy (611928)]

Did you read the article in Wired [wired.com] about the guy who wore that thing for a year? That's what I was thinking of with the north thing.

Lot of enhancements don't really interest me, but that one did. If they find a way to condense something like that to an implant, I'd be willing to try it out.

Re:Two words:

[hey! (33014)]

Great. Instead of cursing because you can't find you box of drill bits, you can curse because you can't find your fingers.

Imagine having to walk around all day with your "ribbed for her pleasure" attachment.

Re:

[cayenne8 (626475)]

"No, the question is: Does it have a shiny chrome color, and can it be transformed into a knife? :P"

No the question is...does it move in 'slow motion' and make a weird background noise?

No Longer Will I Live in Fear

[eldavojohn (898314)]

Finally, I will no longer live in fear of being introduced to counts [runleiarun.com], those cute lovable jawas [runleiarun.com], having a drink at the Cantina [runleiarun.com], bringing prey [runleiarun.com] back to my cave [runleiarun.com], being reunited with my father [runleiarun.com] or vice versa [runleiarun.com]!

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.

Cost?

[u-bend (1095729)]

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.

Cost

[bdjacobson (1094909)]

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.

Just a ballpark figure--

My friend's bionic arm cost him ~$45k. I don't think his can move individual fingers though. So this one could cost even more.

Re:

[FinchWorld (845331)]

Oh no, I can almost hear thousands of keyboards around the world furiously typing "Arm and a Leg" jokes. You've opened the floodgate now!

Re:Cost?

[eln (21727)]

6 million dollars.

Re:

[HTTP Error 403 403.9 (628865)]

6 million dollars.

Man!

Feedback or Senses?

[tb3 (313150)]

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.

Re:Feedback or Senses?

[jollyreaper (513215)]

"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."

A bionic hand that cannot crush a styrofoam cup? Worthless! I want one that can crush coal into diamonds! I just need to remember to use the other hand for, well, you know...I don't know what gonads turn into when you crush them with 500 tons of pressure and I don't want to find out.

Re:

[by Anonymous Coward]

I don't know what gonads turn into when you crush them with 500 tons of pressure and I don't want to find out.

Well, since we're all ultimately carbon based lifeforms, they'll probably turn into smaller diamonds with interesting impurities. Or, as in your case, a pair of very very small diamonds.

Re:

[pragma_x (644215)]

IIRC, there are proshtetics available with tactile feedback - so I think you're right about the styrofoam cup thing. I wouldn't be suprised if that's pretty much a standard part of the package with something this advanced.

But you'd think they could at least wire up some temperature feedback with some peltiers or something.

Use for non-organic manipulation

[dada21 (163177)]

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?

Re:

[phantomfive (622387)]

Check out the pictures, [touchbionics.com] man. While I see you have a point, if I were missing a hand, I would be totally overjoyed to get one of these. There is a picture of a person using a blackberry. It is sensitive enough to pick up a Styrofoam cup without crushing it. Sure there MIGHT be some weird defect that MIGHT make it go crazy and MIGHT get someone hurt, but I've had weird defects where I accidentally slammed the door in my brother's face. He got pretty hurt. By and large this is a massive improvement, espe

Re:

[suv4x4 (956391)]

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?

So it's technically a weapon that could malfunction in the right circumstances.. I wonder if he should leave his hand at the reception before entering a bank or a bar.

However given that this thing is supposed to be useful for casual activity, for extended periods of time, mobile, I doubt it has huge

Re:

[vertinox (846076)]

What is the back-up release mechanism if there's a problem?

You have to mentally think the safe word... In Russian.

Nice

[suv4x4 (956391)]

This makes Terminator's job in Judgement Day harder: peeling off your hand no longer means you're a killer robot from the distopian future.

Wow

[lancelotlink (958750)]

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

how strong?

[icegreentea (974342)]

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.

Uh-oh

[ehaggis (879721)]

The picture [bbc.co.uk] at the bottom says, "i-limb" project - Apple may have something say about this!

Does it come...

[ehaggis (879721)]

...in i-fruit colors?

Re:Uh-oh

[jollyreaper (513215)]

Why does everything these days have to be prefixed with an i?

iDunno.

Autonomous...

[i3spanky (191866)]

...did anyone else reading the headline first think that the hand escaped and found its own way to the market?

My first thought was...

[Roadkills-R-Us (122219)]

...Thing? Is that you?

Not the first

[Pedrito (94783)]

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.

convenient for touch typing nerds like me

[by Anonymous Coward]

Now I can type with both hands while viewing porn and still have an extra hand available (and one that doesn't tire)!

But does it have bluetooth?

[jollyreaper (513215)]

It would really suck to lose a hand but it would be awesome to gain a remote-controlled Thing. I for one welcome our scampering disembodied robotic hand masters. :)

sweet!

[AxemRed (755470)]

This replaces the hook as my limb-replacement of choice.

Obligatory

[ehaggis (879721)]

But does it run Linux? Of course, Linux runs on Palm devices!

Just Be careful

[segfault7375 (135849)]

Just be careful what you use them for... [cad-comic.com]

A great first step

[fishthegeek (943099)]

Well guys, it looks like they've made the first 9% of what could be the best thing for slashdotters since vi!

bionic hand job

[icontender (1129353)]

The worlds first bionic hand job. This also brings new meaning to the "stranger"

Re:

[Joe Snipe (224958)]

WOW. It took one hour to get a masturbation joke on an article about a robotic hand. Kudos to everyones self control today!

Skiboxing

[Doc Ruby (173196)]

When they get a bionic arm together, we'll have one of these installed for skiboxing.

No, we won't, that's a stupid SF gag.

Yes we will.

Look, I'm running the arms, you've got the legs.

But that was when it was 2 limbs each...

Why is it always plastic?

[DaleGlass (1068434)]

If I needed something of the sort I think I'd prefer something shiny and futuristic looking. Maybe something like from the Fullmetal Alchemist [infostore.org] anime. If it's going to look obviously artificial at least it could be something that looks cool.

Re:

[rkww (675767)]

They thought of that... see the faq:

Q. What about the sci-fi robotic hand?

A. Some patients, mainly military personnel, particularly love the robotic nature of the uncovered i-LIMB Hand and prefer not to wear it with a cosmesis glove. However, because of the need to provide a grip surface and to protect the hand from dust and water, Touch Bionics has developed the i-LIMB Skin. This is a thin layer of semi-transparent material that has been computer-modeled to accurately wrap to every contour of the hand

a hit with Slashdot

[pete.com (741064)]

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.

Re:

[Robber Baron (112304)]

I just hope it's not voice-activated!

"...jerk it off...owww!...fuck me!...noooooo!...ahhhrrrgh!...."

Re:

[Spy der Mann (805235)]

Wake me when the prosthetic arm can turn into a big sword, or a plasma rifle or something cool like that.
Yes, it can already, but first you have to take this blue pill :)

Re:

[jollyreaper (513215)]

Inhale.

Take in as much air as you can. This story should last about as long as you can hold your breath, and then just a little bit longer. So listen as fast as you can.

A friend of mine, when he was 13 years old he heard about "pegging." This is when a guy gets banged up the butt with a dildo. Stimulate the prostate gland hard enough, and the rumor is you can have explosive hands-free orgasms. At that age, this friend's a little sex maniac. He's always jonesing for a better way to get his rocks off. He goes out to buy a carrot and some petroleum jelly. To conduct a little private research. Then he pictures how it's going to look at the supermarket checkout counter, the lonely carrot and petroleum jelly rolling down the conveyer belt toward the grocery store cashier. All the shoppers waiting in line, watching. Everyone seeing the big evening he has planned.

It's nice to see that John Katz is still contributing.

Re:

[Tyler Durden (136036)]

It's nice to see that John Katz is still contributing.

More like someone copying and pasting the story "Guts" by Chuck Palahniuk (author of "Fight Club"). Supposedly some people faint when listening to him perform readings of it. I have no idea why the GP posted it here, though.

Re:

[jollyreaper (513215)]

More like someone copying and pasting the story "Guts" by Chuck Palahniuk (author of "Fight Club"). Supposedly some people faint when listening to him perform readings of it.

Can you imagine that piece ever getting committed to celluloid? "The first rule of the invisible carrot is we do not talk about the invisible carrot!" I think it would take a David Lynch to direct it.

Re:

[phantomfive (622387)]

Scotland is more than Bagpipes and Tartans

True, there's also haggis. Good stuff.
--
Looking to trade in your girlfriend? Now you can!! [usedgirlfriend.com]

Re:

[jollyreaper (513215)]

Luke, loosing a hand runs strong in our family, join your fake and with mine and together we will rule the Galaxy. Well Unless we get to close to a microwave or something then we will just jerk out hands spasmotically.

(looks down at bionic hand, looks at microwave, slips hand in pants, puts microwave on for five minutes) Giggity-giggity-goo!