With advancement in technology, the world of prosthetics is undergoing a sea change. Bionic hands will revolutionize the artificial hands increasing their functionality. Dean Kamen of Deka Research and Development Corp has created a new prosthetic hand named after the device that Luke Skywalker wore in the Star Wars – the Luke arm. The prosthetic has an enormous amount of circuitry embedded in it that gives the arm lots of dexterity, enabling the hand to be moved around 18-degrees. There are separate sets of electronic systems for the forearm, the elbow, the upper arm and shoulder. The Luke arm is controlled by controllers that are inserted in the shoes of the user. By pushing down the left toe, the arm moves up and when the right big toe is pushed the arm moves back.
The Luke arm might look a daunting device to manipulate at the first sight but some practice will expose its usability. Expert users can pick up cups and even peel bananas with the Luke arm. Last year i-LIMB prosthetic hand with its motor driven fingers became popular among the amputees, now it may be the Luke arm that allows a greater degree of agility.
Source: Technovelgy
