Touch Bionics i-LIMB bionic hand

Touch Bionics, a UK-based prothesis developer, announced today that its i-LIMB bionic hand has been made available for use in the United States and Europe. The i-LIMB is one the first widely available prosthetic hands with five individually powered digits, affording its user a surprisingly wide range of motion. Additionally, the i-LIMB uses dynamic touch detection which can sense when a finger has sufficient grip on on object and stop powering, useful in situations such as holding someone's hand, where too much power can cause, er, problems. Using electric signals generated by working muscles to control the hand, the device is much like traditional myoelectric prosthetics (the signals are sent from electrodes placed on the skin). Touch Bionics has also developed a "groundbreaking" form of cosmesis, a latex sheath which covers the hand that TB claims gives an incredibly realistic appearance. Check the gallery to see for yourself.

[Thanks, Matt]

Gallery: Touch Bionics i-LIMB bionic hand

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[Ghen @ Jul 18th 2007 8:17AM]

That soda can picture is brilliant. I can't wait to lop off a few limbs now!

[pete @ Jul 18th 2007 9:23AM]

I think I might be going crazy, because I can't tell the differnce in the person's non-bionic hand and bionic hand in some of those pics. Either those are pics of people without a bionic hand or they have put some kind of creepy skin cover that looks way too much like real skin

[gt2378b @ Jul 18th 2007 9:40AM]

That is a "latex sheath which covers the hand that TB claims gives an incredibly realistic appearance."

What an awesome machine this is, overall.

[don.piano @ Jul 18th 2007 9:55AM]

Cute gal, too....

[grjohnston @ Jul 18th 2007 11:11AM]

Has anyone ever heard of this one system that's been developed for blind people? They attach a camera say to the person's forehead, and then display the image in a series of small electrical shocks on the person's tongue--and eventually, with a lot of practice, the person adapts and can "see" through the camera.

Why hasn't anyone developed this for bionics yet? A small patch of electrodes on the person's wrist, and they could be feeling those dynamic touch detection sensations for themselves.

[-Tj- @ Jul 18th 2007 9:35PM]

I believe the technology of which you speak has already been developed, but this is a different company, and different companies hold different patents. The day all these companies come together will be a glorious day for our handicapped.

Here's one such example:
http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/02/feelings-from-a-prosthetic-limb/

On the subject of this post, do they have an i-RIMB on the drawing boards? You know, for righties...

Ok, lame joke, but I got a chuckle out of it.

[Anthop @ Jul 18th 2007 12:51PM]

Cyborgs!

[sendeth @ Jul 20th 2007 8:12PM]

"soon, being human will be a liability." -gits

[Ria de Jager @ Jul 24th 2007 9:45AM]

This is wonderfull, my son is now 20 and born with one hand. I would give anything for him to have a hand. This hand looks easy to put on over his arm and does not look heavy. Unfortunately so expensive for South Africans. A loving mom

[David Handy @ Jul 24th 2007 7:24PM]

I was planning to work on something like this when I got out of school and into the field but they beat me to it... Oh well in reality I'm glad they did people need it. Maybe I can help the people making it better and cheaper to make ect.

They'll probably beat me to my other ideas as well lol xD

[claire @ Aug 16th 2007 9:54AM]

Having done very little investigative work myself I apologise if what I write next is old hat or such. Being born without a lower right limb and having used various types of prosthetic substitutes, I am interested in the i-LIMB's level of durability. Having 4 mini motors to work the fingers independently, how long do these motors last? How often would the limb potentially need to go 'in the shop' so to speak?