Aug 19, 2021 08:00:00

A lightweight and high-performance artificial hand for only 50,000 yen will be developed, and it is possible to eat without breaking the potato chips

In recent years, research and development on artificial hands has led to the emergence of high-performance artificial

hands such as those that can be felt in pain and those that can be moved like real hands with less training. Meanwhile, a joint research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University has developed a prosthetic hand that offers both high performance and low cost.

A soft neuroprosthetic hand providing simultaneous myoelectric control and tactile feedback | Nature Biomedical Engineering
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-021-00767-0

Inflatable robotic hand gives amputees real-time tactile control | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
https://news.mit.edu/2021/inflatable-robotic-hand-tactile-0816

Prosthetic hands that can be moved like real hands have already appeared, but these prosthetic hands 'cost tens of thousands of dollars (millions of yen)' 'because they use metal exteriors and electric motors. There is a problem such as 'heavy'. Therefore, the research team worked on the development of a prosthetic hand that is inexpensive, lightweight, and can be moved like a real hand using commercially available materials. In the following movie, you can see how a volunteer man wears and uses the prosthetic hand actually developed by the research team.

Inflatable robotic hand gives amputees real time tactile control --YouTube


A man who wears a developed artificial hand and shakes hands. Commercially available silicone ' ECOFLEX ' is used on the surface of the prosthesis, and the cost for the entire prosthesis is about 500 dollars (about 55,000 yen). It also weighs 0.5 pounds.

A cupcake that seems to collapse if you hold it firmly ...

Adjust the force to grab it and carry it to your mouth.

The developed artificial hand supports various grips. Pinch the stem (leg) of the wine glass ...

toast.

A pressure sensor is mounted on the surface of the prosthesis, and it is possible to convey the tactile sensation to the wearer through the wearing part of the prosthesis. In the movie, a man wearing a prosthetic hand gently strokes a cat.

Hold and lift a heavy juice carton ...

Pour into a cup.

Fine operations such as opening and closing the zip of the bag are also possible.

Even thin objects such as pass cases ...

You can pick it up dexterously.

Even thin and brittle potato chips can be gently picked up and brought to your mouth.

The developed artificial hand is also characterized by being able to start using with less training. In the movie, a timer is set to measure the time required for training.

First, screw in your arm and attach your prosthesis.

Then press the power button and training button.

The prosthesis

is equipped with a surface myoelectric potential (EMG) sensor, which records the myoelectric potential when the wearer attempts to perform actions such as 'grasping' and 'pinching' after pressing the training button. It will be possible to move it as it is.

It took about 1 minute from wearing to training. With this, the prosthesis detects the myoelectric potential when the wearer tries to perform the movement, and the wearer can move as desired.

According to the research team, the artificial hand used this time is a prototype, but it already supports multiple movements. The first action is 'hold firmly'.

Other actions such as 'pinch with delicate force' ...

'Pinch with three fingers' ……

It is possible to perform actions such as 'side knobs' that hold objects on the sides of the thumb and index finger while holding the key.

MIT professor Xuanhe Zhao , a member of the development team, said, 'The prosthesis we developed this time has not yet reached the product stage, but it is already performing excitingly.' 'Low income requiring prosthetic limbs.' For the family, the very low cost developed this time offers great potential for prosthetic hands. '