Fluidhand emerges, i-LIMB hides in shame

After launching its world-beating i-LIMB prosthetic hand last year, Touch Bionics is taking things in a different direction with feeling some competition from the "Fluidhand." The new hand uses miniature hydraulics to flex the fingers, and can better interact with objects -- like grasping things with irregular surfaces -- than the five motor i-LIMB. Fludihand is also designed to have a more natural feel than previous prosthetics, and gives feedback to the stump to let the user sense the strength of the grip. Currently Fluidhand is just in the prototype stage, with one patient so far testing both prosthetics against each other in a battle to the death.

Update: Sorry for the confusion, Fluidhand was built by a some researchers in Karlsruhe, Germany, not by Touch Bionics.

[jaalin @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:31PM]

luke... i am your father

[Seth @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:42PM]

Darth saw that friggin pink XPS from a couple of articles back and had to have the flamingo pink fingertips as soon as possible...

[FrankTheCrank @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:56PM]

I'll never join you.

[Ignatius @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:17PM]

You killed my father!

[corystal @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:39PM]

My name is Eniguo Montoya, you killed my father.. prepare to die!

[webon @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:41AM]

Dude Corystal the name is Inigo

[Seth @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:37PM]

For as expensive as this thing probably is - couldn't they afford something nicer than a beat-to-s**t wooden desk and some crappy pink foam??

[Peter @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:12PM]

Damn, you're right. They could have purchased some gold plated foam like the MacBook. Get real.

[GreezyG @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:39PM]

try it! It feels like a whole other person! no more icewater!

[eKalb @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:42PM]

I call it the stranger.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:41PM]

Should have been called the iFist.



Yes. Yes, I do.

[Mark Nelson @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:43PM]

"Luke... I am your father."

Nice one!

But I think the gesture shown in the pic is closer to-

"Join me! And together we can..."

[webon @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:05PM]

Darth actually never said "Luke I am your father" he just said
"No...I am your father"


if you care for such stupid details

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:43PM]

By the way Paul,

You've got a typo in the third sentence. You switched the 'u' and 'i' in Fluidhand...

[Spiritsnare @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:06PM]

"...with one patient so far testing both prosthetics against each other in a battle to the death."

You can't do that with one person alone. Two people need to be playing arm wrestling with the things to properly test them.

I imagine the force feedback generated would be killer.

[broli @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:55PM]

The strangers hand ;).

[DB @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:10PM]

ahhh... the things you could do with that...hmmm

[webon @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:07PM]

fluidhand... because you wanna get your hands full of fluids?

[Dave @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:55PM]

"...and gives feedback to the stump to let the user sense the strength of the grip."

The stump? You guys crack me up.

[UHUH @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:24PM]

the 6 million dollar hand job

[Vasisht @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:47PM]

Technically, to be "PC", it's called a "residual limb" now.

[Autopsy15 @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:54PM]

"hides in shames"? Grammar check your title.

[couchpundit @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:17PM]

Man--that puts the "Whoopie" in the whoopie cushion.

[site+engadget @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:13AM]

I will be back.

[Ty @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:08PM]

"Hides in shames" ?