Dean Kamen's "Luke" artificial arm gets demoed on video
By Donald Melanson 
posted Feb 5th 2008 3:53PM
posted Feb 5th 2008 3:53PM
It's still awaiting formal clinical trials, but Dean Kamen's so-called "Luke" artificial arm has already gone through its share of tests, which we can now thankfully catch a glimpse of courtesy of a new video from the folks at IEEE Spectrum Online. That same video also helpfully provides a few more details on the arm, including word that it can be controlled through a variety of means including foot pedals, nerves or muscles, and that it packs force feedback to give the wearer an indication of grip strength, among other suitably sci-fi-like things. Of course, none of this exactly does the arm justice, so be sure to check out the video at the read link below to see it in action for yourself.
[Thanks, Sarah]
[Thanks, Sarah]
Wow, now that is very impressive.
It's great to see modern technology being used in such a way. Serious life changing technology.
Yeah that arm is truly amazing! Hopefully they can get them to be super cheap. No one should go through life without hands.
"i can do stuff that i haven't been able to do in 20 years"
"like what?"
Anyone else thinks the guy was thinking of 'getting in touch with himself?'
i'm pretty sure you are the only one who thought that.
I'm not sure that a cold mechanical arm would do the trick for me...
FMA cosplay anyone?
Fine print: **Assimilation tubules cost extra.
GROOVY.
Gimme sume sugar baby!
That is absolutely amazing. Not to mention heartwarming. You can just about forgive them for the segway. *q:=
I won't forgive them any sooner than I'll forgive apple. Make your own.
May the source be with you.
I think, and my thoughts cross the barrier into the synapses of the
machine, just as the good doctor intended. But what I cannot shake,
and what hints at things to come, is that thoughts cross back. In my
dreams, the sensibility of the machine invades the periphery of my
consciousness: dark, rigid, cold, alien. Evolution is at work here,
but just what is evolving remains to be seen.
Where have I read/heard that before?
Alpha Centauri
Literally breath-taking. Amazing.
And it's no surprise that Kamen's showing his nerdy stripes with the naming. Denim shirts represent.
Most impressive!
but he is not a Jedi yet..
The stuff of science fiction, no doubt. Now he just needs to streamline it.
I thought is was just his arm in that photo. It's pretty amazing. I think the next test should see how well he plays Segway Polo with that thing.
"I fed myself for the first time in 26 years."
Impressive stuff, and it will only get better in the years to come.
The force is strong with this one ;-)
it looks so weird; he looks like a robot moving the arm around... I guess that's cause it's a robotic arm, huh?
That is the most amazing thing I've seen in years. Dean is truly a genius!
Wow. Seriously incredible looking. If anyone will ever make bipedal robots that will become our overlords it's Dean Kamen.
things keep getting better
Truly amazing! Now all it needs is a USB port.
and be able to play MP3s
well the I had a horrible time trying to hear some of the people, but that is really amazing. It's great that technology can help people out like this.
He wasn't electrocuted. No arm can rehabilitate someone after that.
saywha?
Actually, the loss of one or more arms is fairly common in arm-to-arm electrocutions where the person doesn't die. You see tons of these guys if you watch the safety videos in a wiring class.
While I don't think what he said was funny, he's correct.
"Death caused by an electric shock is referred to as electrocution."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_shock)
Yeah, the cution part of electrocution is much like the word execution. Electrocution means you've been killed by electricity.
So kurt is correct. The guy didn't lose his arm when he was electrocuted, he lost his arm when he was almost electrocuted.
JLTate is probably right. Not funny. As long as people low-ranked it for lack of humor and not lack of truth, I can deal.
I'd cut off my left arm for this thing
call me crazy, but this is gonna change the world in much more significant ways than ol' Dean swore the Segway would.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
The segway would have changed the world. It's a powerful concept.
How do you like your patent system now?
yeah but at least he will now be able to operate his custom Fleshlight (greatest invention ever btw)
actually, I spoke with Dean yesterday and not only does he have a custom fleshlight attachment for the Luke, but has segway wheel attachments for a fleshlight that you can use hands free while doing push ups
lol
very impressive-- but i'd prefer to see him crush something, like a chrome-plated robotic skull.
As if such developments are surprising to see. We see news reports of men and women in our armed forces being killed. What we don't see is the thousands upon thousands of people (Far more then those who have died, who are maimed for life. An entire industry is about to grow around these people, and as such technology like this is being fast tracked to try and bring a little normalcy back to those people who put their lives on the line to find Saddam's weapons of mass destruction...oops sorry....on the line to fight terrorism....sorry the brain washing doesn't always kick in when it needs to.
Shut up about politics and be happy with the new life changing prosthetics.
In fact, the number of amputees is now at around 795. Not happy news, but a far cry from thousands.
You forgot one of these, ).
I'm thinking about getting metal legs. It's a risky operation, but it'll be worth it.
From Segway dude to Saviour, nice going Dean.
I still don't understand the Segway, maybe it's just WAY ahead of it's time or being used in the wrong niche?
But just jaw dropping wow on the artificial arm, thankfully some of those DARPA dollars are enhancing life.
Dean Kamen, Sarah Connor would like to have a word with you. She's got an M16, idk why.
Best hilarious comment til now...Seriously
stunning, this is what science is really about.
but it has to be said...
does it play DOOM?
old i know..
Wow, we really can rebuild him, we really do have the technology.
Super awesome!
holly sh*t its robocop
It sounds (literally, I could swear I heard whirring) like they're using motors rather than electroactive polymers (artificial muscles). I suppose swapping out the motors when artificial muscle tech improves would be easy anyway.
Wait. Luke, as in, Luke Skywalker? When he got his hand cut off in episode V? Brilliant!
Uh, yeah, Luke as in Skywalkder. Here's the confusing bit: Luke lost his hand from just above the wrist...not his arm. Isn't this more like, say, a Vader arm than a "Luke" arm, seeing as Luke doesn't have a robotic arm? Just sayin'.
@Miguel,
You're right, "Vader arm" would be more accurate, but somehow I think calling it that might give people the wrong idea...
THIS + AN ARTIFICIAL HEART = ROBOCOP
(THIS TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO THE WHOLE BODY)
This guy has to be real careful walking around at parties, otherwise he'll crush his wine glass.
wow, we've come a long way, hoepfully they can utilize this(along with other artificial limbs) within this generation for a non-ridiculous price.
on a lighter note, i would have loved to see him make a joke at the end of the video-
while he's showing how he can hold and drink from a cup, the arm throws the water in his face, pokes him in the eyes and picks him up by the hair right before the tape goes to a "technical difficulties" screen
That's the best thing I ever saw.
Hey its all Computer Graphics or remotely controlled!!
just kidding.
hrmmm,Great work, but I thought this was neuro controlled or used residual muscles to control the whole thing
instead of some foot pedal action arm.
True, its Gen1,Things can only improve from here.
Gen2 could be better if it were to be 100% controlled by residual muscle nerve feedback.
as well as has smoother more fluid movements.
As we humans arent born with stepper motors, the next evolution of this would be to find some commerically available material which operates like muscles..and no not those muscle valve thingy's either, i dont want to sound like im farting every time im picking up a cup.
You guys dont realize that the segway was a spin-off of a wheelchair design he made. A bunch of years before the segway was released Dean came out with a wheelchair that could balance on two wheels, climb stairs, and go on sand...
...I suggest you look it up
and I suspect part of him getting into this project is taking technology created for it and moving it to the commercial market