need to add title here

Creating The Bionic Arm

April 12, 2009 6:50 PM

Thanks to the biggest innovation in prosthetic arms since World War II it's now possible for amputees to pick up small, delicate objects they never thought they would master. Scott Pelley reports.

The Pentagon's Bionic Arm
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by ptbagger October 8, 2009 10:27 AM EDT
The more I see this video, the more I realize that Dr Ling is pushing this as an Individual that does not truly know what it means to be missing an arm. Some of his statements are missing the mark by miles. Mr Downs is wearing a Hosmer, as this video was created; that says the Hosmer is a functional prosthetic arm that an Individual can use at work, and use for a long period of time. Mr Downs has a job, which appears to be much less manual labor, and more administrative; try wearing the Deka or any Myo while performing a manual labor job every day. The statement; picking up a raisin or a grape without seeing or looking, I do not understand that statement. Anyone would need to look at the task at hand. I can pick up both of those items with my Hosmer, and feed them to a baby, then wipe the child?s chin afterwards if necessary.

I honestly question the long term use of this prosthesis and functionality with the human body. In my opinion, Mr Downs is experiencing an intense physiological human experience. Seeing an "artificial" hand on the end of his remaining limb, which he has not experienced since he was 23, induces intense emotional feelings, but wearing the Deka, or any other Myo arm, for long periods of time during daily activities will be put to the test because of the weight issue.

Scott Ricker
Massachusetts
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by ptbagger September 20, 2009 7:40 PM EDT
by ptbagger September 19, 2009 10:10 AM EDT
I speak from experience and relate to this gentlemans emotions. I have worn a Boston Elbo, a Utah Arm and 3 Hosmers and bottom line is, if any of the myo-electrics malfunction, they are un-usable and do nothing for an upper limb amputee! I have done 1000s of task with my Hosmers and have even repaired them at times when they broke; you can't do that with the myo-electrics. My Utah Arm was valued in excess of $80k back in 1996 yet now it is sitting in a closet. The cost to repair it or replace it is way beyond most Individuals with Disabilities resources. Hangar Prosthetics doesn't even want to take the time to fix my hosmer because they, and so many other prosthetic suppliers are all about the $$$!
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by Newell_ac April 21, 2009 12:14 PM EDT
We are all paying for the election of that BUSHIT president
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by swil3122 April 18, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
This is in response to wdukeg23's question: "if the sensors are indeed in the shoes...how do clients control the arm while they are walking?" Please tell your students, that according to COL Ling, the arm can be locked in any position with a chin switch. So, when walking, the arm gets locked. He thought the question was a good one.
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by petisqueira April 17, 2009 6:57 AM EDT
Fantastic, amazing, brilliant. Inventions like this one will benefit the entire world. From Portugal I send my "Thank you very much".
Ricardo Neves da Silva
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by Snowhare April 17, 2009 3:22 AM EDT
I knew it, I am a squirrel!
Seriously, we are of course not just human because of the thumb. And it is true, we share this feature with squirrels.
However, it is one of the things that are really important for us and our humanity.
The combination of
- opposable thumb
- walking upright (and straight upright, not bent forward like apes)
- the big forehead and accordingly big frontal brain
- 3D sight through two frontal eyes
is what makes a human.

Prostetics can help us replace legs for upright walking, arms and,as this report shows, hands with opposable thumbs, and in the future, I am sure, eyes that see fairly well 3D and in colour.

However, all this is created with our abstractly thinking human frontal cortex (which is also the part of the brain which is completely restructured in puberty).
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by etlewis69 April 16, 2009 10:44 AM EDT
This story was wrong when it reported that humans are the only animal with an aposable thumb. Squirrels also have an aposable thumb. the only difference between the human hand and a squirrels hand is: Human hands have 27 bones, squirrel hand have 24 bones.
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by icanbeme April 14, 2009 10:20 AM EDT
Terrific story! Dean Kamen and his DEKA Arm is amazing! Not only is it his company's creation, it also belongs to all Americans. This story highlights how our government, business community and academic world can work together to make the world a better place. I am excited to see my tax dollars spent wisely.

Andrew Humphrey
Detroit
http://www.andrewhumphrey.com
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by Fables07 April 14, 2009 2:50 AM EDT
I was wondering if there was a patent for this somewhere? I believe i've seen the arm controlled by footwear. Great technology!
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by wdukeg23 April 14, 2009 12:05 AM EDT
I am a high-school history teacher, I viewed this segment Sunday night and the following monday in my history class, I began a discussion on federal taxes and where our spending goes. When we began looking into the spending on military and veterans, I brought up the segment and had a very interesting discussion.
My students seemed very motivated to listen and learn about the increase of technology. The main question I had, along with my students, was, from what I got out of the video, the controls and sensors to control the arm are in the clients shoe. If this is indeed the case (If I am wrong please notify me), How are the clients able to control the arm while thy are walking? I was blown away by the question and had no answer because I was not aware if the video discussed this.

If someone could explain if the sensors are indeed in the shoes, and if they are, how do clients control the arm while walking? Thank you very much.
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