I would have channeled Bruce Campbell in Army of Darkness rather than Luke Skywalker, but this is still very cool. The man behind the Segway scooter has a new invention: bionic arms for wounded soldiers. They dubbed it the "Luke Arm" after the aforementioned Jedi Knight's robotic hand. Dean Kamen was approached by the DOD looking for ways to help soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq and Afganistan.
"This guy visits and basically says, 'Look, we've had 1,600 kids go over [to Iraq] and lose an arm. Two dozen have lost two,'" Kamen tells Newsweek in a story for next week's issue. "'At the end of the Civil War, we gave them a hook on a stick. Now we give them a hook at the end of a plastic tube.'"
It's amazing what we're accomplishing in the field of medicine these days. The arm is controlled by motor nerves in the lost limb, has an opposable thumb, and provides feedback so items can be grasped without crushing them. Amazing stuff and sure to improve the lives of our boys who've been wounded in battle - or anyone else who may have lost a hand or arm. Ash would be jealous.
Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic
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Comments (11)
The Armed Forces Institute ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Chuck Simmins | December 9, 2008 11:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine is working on many projects. They already have an experiment that has successfully regrown the distal phalanges of an amputated finger for two men. DARPA is working on a program that will implant a prosthetic limb into the remaining stump, and connect nerves to the electronics so that the patient can move the prosthetic by thinking.
Grow Me One of Those
1. Posted by Chuck Simmins | December 9, 2008 11:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 9, 2008 23:17
2. Posted by epador | December 9, 2008 11:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ash and Army of Darkness any day over Star Wars or Star Trek.
2. Posted by epador | December 9, 2008 11:32 PM |
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Posted on December 9, 2008 23:32
3. Posted by hyperbolist | December 9, 2008 11:33 PM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
I don't think jealousy is in Ash's emotional vocabulary, but so long as these limbs can be used to wield both a chainsaw and a shotgun, I think he'd be happy with one of them.
3. Posted by hyperbolist | December 9, 2008 11:33 PM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 9, 2008 23:33
4. Posted by wolfwalker | December 9, 2008 11:54 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Geez, what a bunch of young'uns. I'd have called it the "Austin Arm," after the original Bionic Man. Twould be doubly amusing if this arm was developed for exactly $6,000,000.
4. Posted by wolfwalker | December 9, 2008 11:54 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 9, 2008 23:54
5. Posted by Chad | December 10, 2008 12:17 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Pretty sure it was probably more than that, but it would be kinda cool. It would sure be great to get these types of prosthetics for all our wounded heroes, and everybody else that could use one. What percentage do you think insurance would do on one of these babies? Thank you Mr. Kamen, this will really help our guys.
5. Posted by Chad | December 10, 2008 12:17 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 00:17
6. Posted by Imhotep | December 10, 2008 9:12 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Anikin Arm would be most appropriate. Anikin Skywalker was written about before Steve Austin "was barely alive".
6. Posted by Imhotep | December 10, 2008 9:12 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 09:12
7. Posted by DJ Drummond | December 10, 2008 10:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Shop Smart ... shop S-Mart!
7. Posted by DJ Drummond | December 10, 2008 10:09 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 10:09
8. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | December 10, 2008 11:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a 12 gauge double-barreled Remington that's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger.
8. Posted by Baron Von Ottomatic | December 10, 2008 11:09 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 11:09
9. Posted by ODA315 | December 10, 2008 12:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Model 870 perhaps?
My personal favorite is the venerable Winchester model 12
9. Posted by ODA315 | December 10, 2008 12:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 12:17
10. Posted by max | December 10, 2008 2:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Gimme some sugar, baby."
10. Posted by max | December 10, 2008 2:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 14:40
11. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | December 10, 2008 5:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun"
11. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | December 10, 2008 5:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 10, 2008 17:04