Non-robotic "X-Finger" replaces lost digits

An inventor with no medical background looks to have already made quite a name for himself with his X-Finger prosthetic device, which gives folks that have lost fingers a full range of motion without relying on robotics. To control the device, the wearer simply pushes against a lever with the remaining portion of their finger, which sets the knuckles into motion, apparently providing enough force to hold a coffee cup or clutch a golf club. While inventor Dan Didrick's already churning out 100 fingers every 45 days, according to The Naples Daily News, he's apparently far from meeting the demand, for which he says he needs about $11 million in funding. Presumably, that'd also help reduce the cost of the mechanical digits, which currently run a cool $10,000 per finger.

[Photo courtesy of Lexey Swall / Naples Daily News]

[McGinley @ Jun 13th 2007 7:18AM]

Luke,I am your father.

[strider_mt2k @ Jun 13th 2007 7:34AM]

No, that's impossible, yadda yadda yadda, roll credits.


This is a beautiful looking design.

[hemmy @ Jun 13th 2007 8:21AM]

That's a vaguely familiar line, but at the moment I can't put my finger on it!

*BA-DUM PISH*

[Biolovepulse89 @ Jun 13th 2007 7:39AM]

There are further questions I would like to ask:
-On the surface of the fingers, are there anti-slip design, just like our fingerprints work?
-What if the wearer wish to perform more sophisticated and delicate tasks, like writing?

[trev @ Jun 13th 2007 7:41AM]

awesome :) hope he gets funding so he can producing more of these and keep improving upon the design.

[Gil @ Jun 13th 2007 8:07AM]

Sounds intriguing

I found a video of it working:
http://www.didrickmedical.com/didrick/

Bear in mind this seems to be Didrick's site so he's obviously showing best case scenarios.

[Alex @ Jun 13th 2007 9:53AM]

Now, he just needs to adapt it for people missing whole hands, forge it from steel, and have them battle demons from another dimension/time. Or just hook up a chainsaw.

(This is actually really very cool, I'd love to see it connected to the wearer's nerves so they can feel too.)

[strider_mt2k @ Jun 13th 2007 10:46AM]

Ah yes, the chainsaw prosthetic, very nice.

[KR @ Jun 13th 2007 10:00AM]

Finally, I can flip people off again!

[shmengie @ Jun 13th 2007 10:13AM]

there was an episode of the original 'outer limits' tv show with david mccallum as a guy who had a computer for a hand, and each finger was a module. looked just like these. seriously. well, kinda...

[Tracy in Cary @ Jun 13th 2007 11:17AM]

Actually it was Robert Culp, playing "Trent". The episode is called Demon with a Glass Hand.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0667812/

Although it was a computer, that hand was pretty useless for picking anything up!

[shmengie @ Jun 13th 2007 11:44AM]

oops, i sit corrected. thx for pointing out how what a moron i am. still, i was in the ballpark...

[ScreamingSkull @ Jun 13th 2007 10:31AM]

wow, that is pretty sweet. I wonder how much it'd cost in a chrome finish..

[DanDidrick @ Jun 13th 2007 10:36AM]

Hey Fritz, thank you for posting this. We have had more than 3,000 visitors to our website daily and it is difficult to know where they are all coming from; but thank you for adding to our numbers!
BioLovePulse89- Yes, these devices actually are inserted into a cosmetic glove for realism. Unfortunately in all of our first articles the fingers were covered and simply looked like common non-functional prosthesis in photographs. Therefore, we decided to show the device uncovered to show the mechanics. The realistic gloves add the grip you were asking about.
The devices aid in a number of tasks but limited to single movements. For example all of the joints must either be flexing or extending. Tasks such as playing a guitar are not possible because this requires certain joints to flex while others extend at the same time. Considering no other artificial finger bends at all, we are happy with our advancement, but there is still much work to be done.

Gil: Our video is actually the first person we ever tried a device on and was made minutes after he tried it for the first time. I have been too busy to even create a nicer video, but we now have multiple finger patients using the devices. We hope to have a new video soon. If you notice in the video, the guy is using a rubber band to hold the device on. We now have nice straps and the device looks a little nicer than the one seen. Please check back in a few weeks as I think you will like our new design.

Thanks everyone for the kind remarks and interest in my device!

[BoxOfSnoo @ Jun 13th 2007 11:46AM]

I'm very impressed, watching the video. I can't imagine what it must be like, getting that kind of ability back after it had been lost.

Good work!

[DanDidrick @ Jun 13th 2007 1:15PM]

Boxofsnoo-
Thank you for the nice comments. I actually worked on this project for more than 4 years before ever trying it on a patient. The video was made during the first time I ever saw one work myself. It was a very rewarding moment. This is just the beginning as I am now working on entire hands that articulate by controlling the movement of the palm when every finger is missing. It has been and continues to be an exciting project to work on.

[John @ Jun 13th 2007 1:10PM]

I'm sure that you have contacted the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Right? I know that most of our injured soldiers are losing their legs or arms and so may not be suitable candidates for this, but, I'm sure that the department should really be interested in your device.

[Fritz @ Jun 13th 2007 2:18PM]

Dan, you're very welcome! I'm glad youre getting the exposure needed for such an amazing product to take its course in the direction of success. Good luck with all you'r work and future endeavors!

[Kenneth Udut @ Jun 13th 2007 11:39AM]

That's too cool! The fact that it's enough to hold a coffee cup or golf club and does NOT require robots to me, is an amazing thing.

No batteries required.

Eventually, should somebody pick this up (ie - buy him out for royalties payments), or if a venture capitalist (hint hint) supports his venture - it could lead to affordable digits that work, are easily repairable, etc.

Kenneth Udut
Host of http://free.naplesplus.us - Collier County's thousands of newsfeeds (that's where I found out about the X-Finger :-) )

[Byron Ferguson @ Jun 14th 2007 8:11AM]

11 Million so he can give them the finger... such gratitude.

[Matt @ Jun 14th 2007 9:40PM]

I'm absolutely appalled at the costs associated with having parts of the human body replaced. I had my upper jaw removed in January of this year due to cancer and am in the process of having a prosthetic one made to help with making what ever time I still have left more comfortable. Obviously I'm having to pay to get this done and it is costing me an arm and a leg (no pun intended).

Why is it when it comes time to help out our fellow man and provide a service that could potentially make that persons life so much more enjoyable, comfortable and a contributor to society in general we charge them sooooo much damned money? I didn't ask to get cancer. If I cut out my jaw and then decided afterwards it was such a great idea I can understand being charged to get a replacement.