Bionic hand 'sees and grabs' objects automatically

A bionic hand that "sees" objects and instantly decides what kind of grip to adopt has been developed by scientists.

A computer uses a camera to assess an object's shape and size to then trigger the correct movement to pick it up.
The technology was developed at Newcastle University and has been trialled by a small number of amputees.
Dr Kianoush Nazarpour, a senior lecturer in biomedical engineering at the university, said the bionic hand can "respond automatically".

'Intuitive hand'

The device could spark a new generation of prosthetic limbs giving the wearer the ability to grip objects without the use of their brain, researchers say.
Dr Nazarpour said: "Prosthetic limbs have changed very little in the past 100 years.
"Responsiveness has been one of the main barriers to artificial limbs.

"For many amputees the reference point is their healthy arm or leg so prosthetics seem slow and cumbersome in comparison.
"Now, for the first time in a century, we have developed an 'intuitive' hand that can react without thinking."
The team, whose work is reported in the Journal of Neural Engineering, programmed the hand to react within milliseconds and perform four different "grasps" suitable for picking up a cup, holding a TV controller, and gripping objects with a thumb and two fingers or a pinched thumb and first finger.

Master Oladseg Blog

Comments

5 Most Expensive Homes in the World

Master Oladseg Blog

'We sold our home to build a social network'

Zoe Kleinman The Hughes family in Manchester have quit their jobs and put everything they own into building a social network aimed solely at sports fans. But can they take on the giants? "We see ourselves sitting at the top table with the big boys," says father Perry Hughes confidently. "We don't think we're taking on the competition." It might sound optimistic to put your family business in the same league as the multi-billion dollar social networks but the Hughes family certainly have the passion to give it a go. Their big idea is GameDay Xtra, which has the bold ambition of hosting a page for every single sports team and player in the world - with even the humblest of leagues able to share their own news. Son Sam, 21, has suspended his university studies and works through the night on the project. Daughter Mollie, 18, handles the social media side. GameDay is purely for sports fans, the family say. Members get live...

SAMSUNG DEX REVIEW THE GOOD Super-simple setup Cheaper than most Chromebooks Easy to use Adds Ethernet and two USB Type-A ports THE BAD Small number of officially supported apps Can't snap windows Android multitasking is still weak Images and video don't always look as sharp as they should VERDICT Samsung's $150, puck-shaped DeX station is the slickest attempt yet at turning a phone into a desktop, but this system is definitely a work in progress. Motorola tried it with the Atrix and failed. Fujitsu thought about trying it with the Lifebook 2013 concept, and failed. And a handful of Windows Mobile phones, including the HP Elite x3 , Acer Liquid Jade Primo and Microsoft Lumia 950 tried it, and haven't mustered anything more than the most lukewarm of receptions. But that's not going to stop Samsung and its new DeX Station for the Galaxy S8 from becoming the latest in a l...

Master Oladseg Blog [MOB]

Search This Blog