Dean Kamen shows off his prosthetic arm on The Colbert Report
By Laura June 
posted April 6th 2010 10:38AM
posted April 6th 2010 10:38AM
Dean Kamen showed up on The Colbert Report last night to show off Luke -- the advanced prosthetic arm he's been working on with DARPA and the Defense Department for the past few years. Besides the requisite Segway jokes (and Colbert's are pretty funny, we'll give him that), it's pretty heart-warming to see Kamen and his crazy awesome arm hanging out with our favorite faux Republican. Just more proof that Colbert is a major gadget nerd. The video's after the break -- hit the read link if you want to watch the entire episode.
Dean Kamen is the snake oil salesman of the 21st century...
@technoreaper
Die.
@technoreaper
Yeah, he's a salesman, so what asshole? He sells ideas, he sells dreams, he sells the notion that people can create some fantastic stuff. What have you contributed to the world besides some semen-soaked Kleenex?
@technoreaper Snake oil? Hardly. Kamen's inventions _work_. Granted, Segway struggles to find markets for itself, but it does work. Similarly, his insulin pump does wonders for those who need it--and this arm...this arm is just awesome. And he's not done perfecting it.
Yeah, but the LUKE arm can't be used with an iPad, so it sucks! /sarcasm
@cherryboom
That much denim would cause a singularity to occur.
Still can't believe that this is real!!!
Welcome to the future
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/040421/144411__spiderman2_l.jpg
sorry for being sarcastic, but I can't imagine the gov't spending $$$ to give people robotic arms. It's definitely a precursor to something else.
@ericmedl You definitely didn't watch the video then, the government is spending money on this so that soldiers who lose their arms can live a more normal life when they come home.
@Naoki7
That's the story they told Kamen so he would build it. Believe me, they will find ways to turn that tech into something dehumanizing and destructive. Assuming they haven't already.
All I can say is that that guy is amazing, both of them, the inventor and the guy who lost both his arms. Truly amazing
I sincerely hope I never need one, but if I do, this is one bitchin prosthetic.
And so Terminator story began...
My father in law is a bilateral amputee (above the elbows) and has been working with Dean on some of the technology he is using to build these prosthetic arms. Father in law does everything he can do to try and break the arms, but hasn't had much luck with the latest hardware. Keep up the good work Dean!
Omg, he's halfway to my dream of being ROBOGORO!
I haven't watched yet but I'm curious to see how long it takes Colbert to call it Dean's new "left wing."
Wow, that was just awesome.
I have to image that thing is running an ARM processor.
That is awesome, i especially like the reason that he said Darpa came to him. Great work. Nice post.
Ye,s Colbert is a major gadget nerd.
But I will call him out on the time he called the Nokia N97 a tmobile sidekick.
thats friggen awesomeness
* prepares plans to take over the world dr. octopus style *
:)
Good job Dean and Company.
Pretty damn amazing.
And our soldiers are sure worth it.
I hope some of the innocent civilians in the Middle East who's only crimes were being at the wrong place at the wrong time will be helped too.
Dean Kamen makes great things, but he seems to have one great flaw. While pursuing the ideal device for a given problem, and succeeding, he ignores a tremendous factor that leads to ultimate failure -- money. All of his inventions cost the proverbial arm and a leg, preventing them from reaching commercial viability either at all or at best on the scale that was intended.
I'm betting on this arm meeting or exceeding every expectation, but being rejected on price alone.
SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE AND GROUNDBREAKING! I never thought this would actually be possible. We have gone a long way. Now lets start shipping these and spreading some love.