prosthetic
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BeBionic officially unveils its incredible myo-electric bionic hand
Back in February when we first caught wind of BeBionic's myo-electric, very realistic bionic hand, we were quite impressed. The finished product was just unveiled at ISPO World Congress in Leipzig Germany, and it's looking even better than our first glimpse gave away. We don't know a ton more about how the hand functions -- it boasts a fully integrated wireless chip, fully customizable functions to control speed, grip force, and grip patterns, plus aesthetic bonuses such as silicone skin overlays in 19 different tones. The BeBionic hand is now due for worldwide distribution in June of this year -- but check out the teaser video below if you're still curious.
Touch Bionics i-LIMB Pulse, the Bluetooth bionic hand, makes your meaty one obsolete
Let's say you got in a fight with your dad. You said some things, he said some things, and then he cut your hand off. Don't go all emo: Touch Bionics has a new product that will have you overthrowing empires again in no time. A successor to the company's revolutionary i-LIMB Hand, the i-LIMB Pulse is a more streamlined version meant to look more natural, also offered in two sizes, and comes complete with Bluetooth that allows prosthetists and users to tweak settings easily. The device's name comes from its "pulsing technology" that boosts strength, enabling it to handle up to 90kg (about 200lbs), which is a lot more than our crippled carpal tunnels can manage these days. The Pulse starts shipping to would-be chosen ones on June 1 -- just in time for Father's Day. %Gallery-92450%
Energy-recycling foot makes it easier for amputees to walk
What's better than an artificial nose? Why, an artificial foot, of course! University of Michigan researchers have developed a new prosthetic foot that could one day make it much easier for amputees to walk. Put simply, this new prototype drastically cuts the energy spent per step, as it harnesses the energy exerted when taking a step and enhances the power of ankle push-off. The device is able to capture dissipated energy, and an inbuilt microcontroller tells the foot to return the energy to the system at precisely the right time. Tests have shown that those using this here foot spent just 14 percent more energy to walk than one would spend when walking naturally, which is a rather significant decrease from the 23 percent uptick experienced with conventional prostheses. If you're still baffled, there's a pretty wicked video demonstration waiting for you after the break. %Gallery-86121%
Touch Bionics offers ProDigits for those missing their amateur ones
Touch Bionics has been at this bionic prosthetics business for a while now, already providing i-Limb solutions to those deprived of the use of their hands or arms. The company's latest innovation is to reduce all that tech down to the level of individual fingers, with its freshly announced ProDigits being able to replace anywhere between one and all of your precious little piggies. Relying on a traditional myoelectric regime -- which reacts to muscle signals from the residual hand -- or pressure from the remnant finger for its input, this invention can even be tweaked by doctors (over Bluetooth) to adjust the finer motor functions on a per patient basis. Costing up to £40,000 ($65,000), these new prosthetics will be custom-built for each person, and there are plans to apply to have them made available through national health insurance -- in countries that are into that sort of thing. Video after the break.
EU scientists develop LifeHand thought-controlled prosthesis
We've seen plenty of developments in neurology and robotics over the years, including the Smart Hand prosthesis and targeted muscle reinnervation, and now researchers at the Bio-Medical Campus University of Rome have announced LifeHand. Connected via electrodes to an amputee named Pierpaolo Petruzziello, the device is able to perform complex movements and is controlled by thought alone. "It's a matter of mind, of concentration," said Petruzziello. "When you think of it as your hand and forearm, it all becomes easier." The five year project, funded to the tune of about $3 million by the European Union, is just the beginning -- they still have to figure out how to make the implants permanent. Get a closer look below.
Video: doctors implant tooth into eye, restore sight, creep everyone out
Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis. It's a real procedure that really does revive people's ability to see, yet we get the feeling that people will be more, um, excited about how it's done than why it's done. The seemingly Mary Shelley-inspired doctors extract a tooth from a blind person and drill a hole through it, where a prosthetic lens is placed, and the resulting macabre construction is implanted into the blind person's eye. The tooth is necessary as the body would reject an artificial base. It's not at all pretty, and it cannot repair every type of blindness, but it's still a major step forward. To hear from Sharron Thornton, the first American to have undergone the procedure, check the video after the break, but only if you can handle mildly graphic content -- you've been warned. [Via Daily Tech]
Brain Carpet microelectrodes could help translate thoughts into actions more effectively
Researchers at the University of Utah have developed a new, more precise way of placing microelectrodes on the surface of the brain to enable patients to turn thoughts into action. Led by Bradley Greger, a professor of bioengineering, the "Brain Carpet" as it's called, represents a "modest advance" in techniques already in use. The Brain Carpet makes use of smaller microelectrodes, and also employs many more than are usually used. The method involves sawing off the skull of the patient, then placing 32 electrodes about 2mm apart on the surface of the brain. Though they've conducted tests on just a handful of patients -- all epileptics -- the technique, they believe could also be used to help people control their prosthetic limbs much more effectively. The electrodes allow detection of the electric signals in the brain which control arm and hand movements. In the tests, patients have successfully controlled a cursor on a computer screen following the operation, and they see applications for brain-machine interface devices in the future. There's no word on when the Brain Carpet will move from the research to reality phase, but the group's findings have just recently appeared in the journal Neurosurgical Focus.
Ossur's new POWER KNEE prosthesis sports A.I., motorized actuators
Perhaps it's a sobering reminder of the world we live in, but we've seen prosthetic technology grow in leaps and bounds over the last couple years. Continuing the upward arc, Ossur has just announced its second generation POWER KNEE device. Developed in partnership with Victhom Human Bionics, the device is billed as "the world's first and only motor-powered, artificially intelligent prosthesis for above-knee amputees." Features include: advanced torque and accelerometer sensors that keep an eye on the ground level and compensate accordingly; actuators that actively lift and stimulate the users own muscles for walking up stairs, inclines and ramps; and what the company is calling its "artificial intelligence" features, which allow the device to "observe the whole state of the respective human-system interface." Currently in use at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a full commercial release is expected by 2010.
USB finger drive concept attempts to keep up with reality
Yanko Design is certainly home to many far-fetched, never-to-be-realized gadgets, but this so-called You-SB finger drive isn't one of them. In fact, it's already a bit behind the curve. Apparently, after losing a finger in a motorcycle accident last year, Jerry Jalava took advantage of the situation to get a 2GB USB drive installed in his new prosthetic finger, which he's happy to inform us stores the Billy Linux distribution and the movie Freddy Got Fingered. The drive is even removable to allow for upgrades or different drives for different tasks. Can a pico-projector finger be far behind?Read - Yanko Design, "You-SB"Read - Jerry Jalava's Flickr page[Via Grinding.be]
DIY prosthesis all the rage in Tasmania
When the doctors told amputee Mark Lesek that the severity of his injury made him ineligible for a prosthesis, he refused to give up. Left with nothing but his own welding and engineering business, several hundred thousands of dollars, and an indomitable spirit, the Tasmanian gentleman began the quest for an artificial arm. First, he shopped around until he found a doctor who agreed to order an $80,000 prosthesis from Germany -- which eventually broke down (but not before he shelled out $6,000 for repairs on the thing). His next stop was the Branemark Osseointegration Centre in Sweden, where he was fitted with an $80,000 bolt that works as a sort of "artificial shoulder." Still unable to find a suitable arm, the guy teamed up with one of his employees to design and build his own lightweight magnesium "body powered" prosthesis. But that's not all -- he's also working with the University of Tasmania to develop a more agile computer-controlled arm, controlled with "a cap with electrodes which will be interfaced into the computer." Let's hope that all his hard work pays off -- and that he teaches those doctors a thing or two in the process.[Via Switched]
Immaculate prosthetic limb concept makes combines fun again
We never thought it would it come to this, but damn if that image above doesn't make the idea of having a prosthetic limb attractive. A pang first felt at the sight of Oscar Pistorius' Cheetah prosthetics is now fully engorged with visions of reckless play around farm equipment. The concept "immaculate" from Hans Alexander Huseklepp explores the idea of turning a handicap into a high-performance, cybernetic fashion statement. The neurological prosthetic is clad in technology-packed corian plates with dome-joints that offer a larger degree of freedom than that motherly-issued arm of yours. So enough with the flesh-colored plastics already, this is the biomechatronic future of the proud naturoid we'd like to see. Hell, we have to do something now that tattoos and piercings have gone mainstream.
Video: Teenager's new i-LIMB prosthetic hand is super cool
We've seen the i-LIMB plenty in the past, but we have to say that seeing it in action -- newly installed on teenager Evan Reynolds -- is pretty impressive. The prosthetic is so sensitive that Reynolds can grip a small bottle of water, no problem. We assure you: it's pretty cool.
Oscar Pistorius fails to qualify for the Olympics
It seems like the endless legal struggle to be allowed to compete in the Olympics took its toll on cyborg sprinter Oscar Pistorious -- he didn't qualify for the South African Olympic team on Wednesday, after failing to run the 400 under the 45.55 second minimum required to make the trip to Beijing. Interestingly, Pistorious's 46.25-second time was his best ever, even though critics claimed that the double-amputee's "Cheetah" prosthetics allowed him to use only 25 percent of the energy used by traditional runners. That's not the last we'll see of Oscar, though -- he says he's happy with his season's results, and he'll be back to try out for the 2012 Games in London.
Researchers devise neural implant that learns over time
Brain-machine interfaces have done quite a bit in helping handicapped individuals interact with prosthetic limbs, computers and other humans, but a new neural implant concocted at the University of Florida could make all those past devices look archaic. Put simply, researchers have discovered a method that would enable brain-machine interfaces to "adapt to a person's behavior over time and use the knowledge to help complete a task more efficiently." Until now, the brain was the instrument doing all the talking while the computer simply accepted commands; with this method, "the computer could have a say in that conversation, too." In all seriousness, this type of learning mechanism could be game-changing in the world of physical therapy, but we hesitate to give something mechanical inside of our body too much free will, ya dig?[Via Physorg]
Tensegrity prosthetic foot promises to make walking easier
It may not boast built-in Bluetooth or an array of sensors and motors, but inventor Jerome Rifkin says his so-called Tensegrity prosthetic foot can nonetheless give amputees a more natural gait and make it easier for them to walk across difficult terrain. That's apparently possible thanks to a unique but simple mid-foot joint, which takes the place of the ankle joint more commonly found in prosthetic feet and creates a flexible arch in the middle of the foot. A range of springs and tensioned cables are used to control it and a second joint at the toe, which simply respond to the natural pressure of walking and adapt to uneven terrain. As you can see for yourself in the video of the most recent prototype after the break, that setup appears to work remarkably well, and Rifkin has even thankfully managed to tone down some of the squeaking noise that plagued earlier prototypes.
Bluetooth-equipped prosthetic legs help double amputee walk again
As we've seen, there's plenty of different solutions out there for controlling prosthetic limbs, but the artificial legs now helping Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill walk certainly have to rank up there with the most inventive, and they don't even rely on brain control. Instead, the legs employ tried and true Bluetooth technology, which has previously been used to allow a single prothestic leg to mimic the individual's other leg but, in this case, is being use to allow one prosthetic leg to mimic the other. To control them, Bleill simply applies force with his thigh muscles to get things moving or slow them down, with built-in motors in the legs allowing him to walk longer without getting tired. As you can see in the video available courtesy of CNN at the read link below, that setup appears to work remarkably well, and Bleill hopes he'll soon get to the point where he needs just one cane before eventually ditching them altogether.
Targeted muscle reinnervation enables your brain to control prosthetic limbs
If you're suddenly overcome with an eerie feeling of déjà vu, fret not, as this idea has certainly been brainstormed before. As scientists aim to make prosthetic limbs more user-friendly, a certain physiatrist at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and professor at Northwestern University has developed a technique that enables artificial arms to react directly to the brain's thoughts. The process, dubbed targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR), works by rewiring residual nerves that once carried information to the now-lost appendage to the chest; when the person thinks to move their arm, the chest muscle contracts, and with the help of an electromyogram (EMG), the signal is "directed to a microprocessor in the artificial arm which decodes the data and tells the arm what to do." Currently, "only" four movements are possible after the procedure, but studies are already in full swing to determine if TMR could be used to bless future patients with an even fuller of range of motion.[Image courtesy of ScienceDaily]
MIT conjures up algorithm for neural prosthetic device
A team of MIT researchers have crafted "a new algorithm to help create prosthetic devices that convert brain signals into action in patients who have been paralyzed or had limbs amputated." Essentially, neural prosthetic devices "represent an engineer's approach to treating paralysis and amputation," and this particular process utilizes a method called graphical models which represents the "mathematical relationship" between what a human attempts to do and the "neural manifestation" of that goal. Granted, even the gurus hard at work on this stuff admit that it's quite a ways from being pushed out to the public, but there's already plans in place to convert the algorithm into a usable device in due time.[Via CNET, image courtesy of MIT]
Winter the dolphin gets fitted with prosthetic tail
It's been a while since we last heard about a dolphin getting fitted with an artificial tail, but it looks like Fuji finally has some new bionic company, with Winter the dolphin now starting to get used to a prosthetic tail of its own. Unlike Fuji, Winter lost her both her tail flukes and her peduncle, which posed additional problems for the team of researchers that developed the tail, ultimately requiring them to "MacGyver" one as they went along (a term the researchers themselves used to describe it). While it's apparently not perfected just yet, Winter has started to learn to swim with a prosthetic sleeve, which will eventually be outfitted with artificial tail flukes that could allow it to keep pace with other dolphins. In addition to helping Winter, the researchers behind the tail say that the lessons learned from it could also help human amputees, with the gel sleeve used to hold the tail into place apparently already adapted for use with a human prosthesis.[Photo courtesy of AP]
Festo's fluidic muscles make us all look weak
Yeah, we've seen some pretty fancy robotic arm work already this year, but Festo is out to show 'em all up with its fluidic muscle-packin' Airic's_arm. This robotic prosthesis sports a "bone structure" which mimics that found on a real live human, and can be moved via the 30 "muscles" built within. Essentially, Festo's approach to movement relies on "an elastomer tube reinforced by aramid fibers, which contract quickly and exert a pulling force when they're filled with a blast of compressed air or liquid." Of course, you'll notice it doesn't offer quite the same range as less bionic alternatives, but this thing's pretty accurate, indeed. Check it out for yourself, the video's right down there.[Via DesignNews]Read - Festo's Airic's_armRead - Video of Airic's_arm in action
