The Cyberhand bionic hand feels and flexes
The Europeans responsible for the "Cyberhand" have, along with it's scifi-esque moniker, given their creation some scifi-esque capabilities that bode well for amputees and Luke Skywalker wannabees the world over. The bionic hand not only has individually functioning digits, including an opposing thumb for the multitude of actions that require one, but those fingers should be able to feel, yet still only take a relatively small number of nerves to control. It works in much the same way as a real hand; by using synthetic tendons that run through each finger, the artificial hand only needs 6 motors to control motion. So far they've created a touch sensitive prototype, and now it looks like their next task is to attach the hand and fire it up. Though what's really got us excited is the wireless communication between the nerve endings and the hand, opening up a whole realm of possibilities for hot-swapping arm attachments. We think you know where we're going with this.
[Via Slashdot]
