The man who inflicted the Segway on an unsuspecting public has come up with a bionic arm that promises to benefit combat veterans and other amputees. Called the "Luke Arm" (after Luke Skywalker), it is lightweight, self-contained, and capable of picking up small objects, empty bottles, even electric drills.
"Kamen says the Department of Defense approached him and his company, DEKA, in 2005 about the project, not the other way around....
"The Luke Arm has four fingers and an opposable thumb, and was designed to be controlled by muscular movement in the wearer's remaining limbs.
"But thanks to neurological advances in "targeted renervation" by Dr. Todd Kuiken of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the Luke Arm can now connect directly to motor nerves, meaning it can be controlled purely by thought alone."
To see the Newsweek article, which has more information, click here.
A YouTube video with a demonstration of the "Luke Arm."
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