FDA approves Deka arm, the mind-controlled robotic limb developed by Segway creator
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Cyborgs are no longer just a part of 1970s science fiction plots about galaxies far, far away.
The U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) has given its approval for one company to sell prosthetic arms that are controlled by electrical signals.
The Deka Arm is nicknamed the 'Luke' arm as it was inspired by Luke Skywalker's robotic arm in Star Wars.
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The force is strong with this one: The Deka robotic arm allows amputees like Fred Downs (pictured) to perform complex and delicate tasks like grasping a bottle (pictured) and has been approved for sale by the FDA, which means more people could benefit from the technology in future
HOW DOES THE DEKA ARM WORK?
The Deka arm can perform multiple, simultaneous powered movements controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes connected to the wearer's muscles.
Its electrodes are attached to the muscles of a wearer and detect electrical activity caused by the contraction of muscles close to where the prosthesis is attached.
The electrodes transmit signals to a computer processor in the prosthesis, which translates these signals into 10 different types of movements.
The arm contains a combination of mechanisms including switches, movement sensors, and force sensors that enables it to move.
It can translate the electrical signals into 10 different types of movements, which enable wearers to perform more complex and delicate tasks.
The character played by Mark Hamill was fitted with the mind-controlled prosthetic after Darth Vader cut his hand off with a lightsaber.
The Deka arm can perform multiple, simultaneous powered movements controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes connected to the wearer's muscles.
And now the Manchester, New Hampshire-based company behind the innovation has got the go-ahead to sell its bionic arms to members of the public, although prices are not yet available.
The arm is designed so that people can perform delicate tasks like picking up eggs, which they would find incredibly difficult with current prostheses.
Its electrodes are attached to the muscles of a wearer and detect electrical activity caused by the contraction of muscles close to where the prosthesis is attached.
Electrodes transmit signals to a computer processor in the prosthesis, which translates them into 10 different types of movements.
The arm is the same shape and weight as an adult's and contains a combination of mechanisms including switches, movement sensors, and force sensors that enables it to move.
The prosthesis has been nicknamed the 'Luke Arm' after Luke Skywalker's bionic arm (pictured) in the Star Wars films. Like hr Sci-Fi arm, the Deka prosthesis allows its wearer a lot of dexterity and contains a combination of mechanisms including switches, movement sensors, and force sensors that enables it to move
Ms Foreman said: 'This innovative prosthesis provides a new option for people with certain kinds of arm amputations.'
The FDA studied how the prosthesis coped with common household and self-care tasks and found that 90 per cent of users were able to perform jobs that they were unable to do with their current prosthesis, such as using keys and locks, preparing food, feeding themselves, using zips, and brushing hair.
The company, which was founded by Dean Kamen, who was one of the inventors of the Segway, said that the Deka system can be adapted for people with limb loss at the shoulder, mid upper arm and mid lower arm, but at the moment it cannot be adapted for limb loss at the elbow or wrist.
The product was part funded by the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
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