Gadgetory

up until now most people have visualized prosthetic arms with an immobile hand or a metal hook but that's all about to change movie i'm sam Scheffer and this is 90 seconds on the verge the US Food and Drug Association has approved the DECA arm system a mind-control prosthetic that can do multiple simultaneous movements a number of scientists and engineers from around the world are working on similar limbs but this is the first one with FDA approval the DECA arm system is similar in size and weight to an actual human arm it's capable of detailed tasks like using zippers brushing teeth and even handling fragile foods like grapes and eggs the company has nicknamed it Luke after the character from Star Wars notice the similarities the project is funded by DARPA but developed by deca a company founded by Segway inventor Dean Kaman here's how it works the deca arm system is controlled by EMG electrodes placed on the remaining portion of the human arm a computer processor translates muscle contractions into one of 10 specific movements the system also uses a combination of switches and both movement and force sensors for control some of which we'll showcase in a 60 minutes report from 2009 this is Fred Downes who was the Veterans Affairs official in charge of prosthetics first time in 40 years my my left hand did this with FDA approval deca can now bring the arm to market with that said there's currently no price and won't be until the company finds a commercial partner to mass-produce for more on the deca arm system check out the verge coming up DARPA announces a collaboration with Dharma to create a prosthetic hand that pushes a button every 108 minutes