"Manhattan Project" For Prosthetic Arms 76
cortex tips us to a story about a nationwide effort to incorporate advanced technology into the next generation of prosthetic arms. Researchers for the DARPA-funded project are developing feedback techniques that range from sensors on the surface of the user's skin to electrodes implanted on the inside of the user's skull that intercept and interpret signals from the motor cortex. Quoting:
"'Think about taking a sip from a can of soda,' Harshbarger says. The complex neural feedback system connecting a native limb to its user lets that user ignore an entire series of complicated steps. The nervous system makes constant automatic adjustments to ensure, for example, that the tilt of the wrist adjusts to compensate for the changing fluid level inside the can. The action requires little to no attention. Not so for the wearer of current prosthetic arms, for whom the act of taking a sip of soda precludes any other activity. The wearer must first consciously direct the arm to extend it to the correct point in space, then switch modes to rotate the wrist into proper position. Then he must open the hand, close it to grasp the soda can (not so weakly as to drop it but not so hard as to crush it), switch modes to bend the elbow to correctly place the can in front of his mouth, rotate the wrist into position, and then concentrate on drinking from the can of soda without spilling it."
Re:Obvious (Score:4, Interesting)
http://www.uml.edu/media/eNews/DARPA%20Braunhut%20limb%20regeneration.html [uml.edu]
Hmmm. Dr. Octopus? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Hmmm. Dr. Octopus? (Score:3, Interesting)
As to you last line, I am not sure how old you are, but typically as you get older your POV will change. When I was 18, I signed up for ROTC so that I could fly. My father (a decorated air force pilot and then airline pilot) talked me out of it. How? He told me to get the air force to give me a letter guaranteeing flight, since they said it verbally (this was '77; post 'nam; yeah yeah, old). Needless to say, that did not happen. Since then, I have worked on various DOD projects. In the first, the grant was for interesting biologicals research that we designed to be defensive in nature. As time went on, we realized that it was actually weaponry that we were developing (DOD had other intentions based on how they were changing our protocols). As a young man, I thought that it was abhorrent and left the project. Now, as I watch China's military building up, I know that the work that I was doing actually could make a difference. The reason is that Chinese leaders are gearing up for a war. The problem is that they have MANY times the troops levels that we have. The major thing that holds them in check is that they KNOW we have a very high tech advantage. But with their continuing theft of our military secrets and W. having tied us up in Iraq, combined with our monster growing deficits, it is only a matter of time before they are equal to us (from the chinese leaders POV). Sadly, when dictatorships or monoarchies feel threatened inside of the country, they will either collapse (like USSR), attack their ppl (Tiananmen), or attack other nations (which is what most countries do). I think that unlike the USSR, china will consider the later. If it cames down to our work being used, or a nuke, than I would want our work used. Far, far, far less damaging, but would be just as effective on a battlefield. SO why the long boring story? I am suggesting is that while you might not be interested in the military, as time goes on, you might change your mind. More so, if you have family out there.
Re:Thinking about your breathing (Score:3, Interesting)
Watching my mother attempt to operate a mouse is a painful experience, but how many of us on Slashdot even think twice about the motor movements we make to move the cursor around, click on things and scroll up and down?
My mother has no prosthetic limbs, and has a good 25 years more experience than me in using her arms and hands for normal day to day tasks. On the very rare occasions she may operate a mouse, there's still a huge amount of it that is automatic and reflexive, despite the awkwardness that is visible. Now think how much would go in to a machine to emulate just her ability, let alone yours or mine.