Miscellaneous

As a double amputee, Aimee Mullins wanted her prosthetic legs to be beautiful, unique - a reflection of her own style and identity. Tune in to this very personal episode of Epiphany, as Aimee Mullins explores the intersection of form and function.

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See how unique, custom-3D printed prosthetics allow derby the dog to run for the first time.

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Three people with paralysed arms had their hands amputated and replaced by prosthetic ones that they control with their mind
Full story: "Men have hands amputated and replaced with bionic ones"

by Hal Hodson
February 25, 2015

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Research engineers and students in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Biomechatronics Lab are designing artificial limbs to be more sensational, with the emphasis on sensation.

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the team, led by mechanical engineer Veronica J. Santos, is constructing a language of touch that both a computer and a human can understand. The researchers are quantifying this with mechanical touch sensors that interact with objects of various shapes, sizes and textures. Using an array of instrumentation, Santos' team is able to translate that interaction into data a computer can understand.

The data is used to create a formula or algorithm that gives the computer the ability to identify patterns among the items it has in its library of experiences and something it has never felt before. This research will help the team develop artificial haptic intelligence, which is, essentially, giving robots, as well as prostheses, the "human touch."

The research in this episode is supported by NSF award #1208519, NRI-Small: Context-Driven Haptic Inquiry of Objects Based on Task Requirements for Artificial Grasp and Manipulation. NRI is the acronym for the National Robotics Initiative.

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Video transcript: Jose Delgado Jr. has long been familiar with prosthetics since he was born missing a severe amount of his left hand. One of his most recent models, a myoelectric prosthesis, cost thousands of dollars and affords him a weak grip powered by his forearm muscles. 3D printing on the other hand offered a prosthetic with a seemingly comic book, superhero inspired name, the Cyborg Beast. With a total cost of $50 for the prosthetic (printer sold separately) Delgado's new 3D printed prosthetic hand proved more functional and stronger than his latest myoelectric hand.

The design for the Cyborg Beast arrived after a consolidated creative effort, derived from the Robohand by Ivan Owen and Richard van As. The final product requires a few hardware pieces, Velcro and padding. Yet with these extra materials, the price still sits at $50 versus the "high-tech" myoelectric prosthetic over $40,000.

With Cyborg Beast Delgado can now trust using his left hand to drive. At some point in the near future, it will seem absurd for those with access not to take such full advantage of 3D printing. As is the case with the Cyborg Beast, 3D printing not only offers a functional replacement, but an improvement over what until recently would be considered cutting-edge technology. More stories in mainstream media hail 3D printing as the technology of the future, yet it is apparent that 3D printing is here now, ready for the willing.

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Learn how AT&T employee Brett Ford went the extra mile to create a 3D printed prosthetic hand for his daughter. Watch as he describes the process and how it can be used to help others.

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WINNER - Tribeca Film Festival 2014, Special Jury Mention
WINNER - Austin Film Festival 2014, Best Short Documentary
WINNER - GI Film Festival 2015, Best Short Documentary
WINNER - Sidewalk Film Festival 2014, Audience Choice Award
WINNER - Washington West Film Festival 2014, Audience Choice Award
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Nantucket Film Festival 2014
OFFICIAL SELECTION - New Hampshire Film Festival 2014
OFFICIAL SELECTION - DocuWest Film Festival 2014
A Shoulder 2 Shoulder Production
Directed, Produced, Filmed, and Edited by Erin Sanger
Produced by Chris Ferguson
Featuring Kathleen Harris Causey and Aaron Causey
Associate Producer: Patrick Murphy
Sound Design: Jeff Mullen

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"Trans-Radial Prosthesis With Three Opposed Fingers," by Masahiro Yoshikawa, Yuya Taguchi, Shin Sakamoto, Shunji Yamanaka, Yoshio Matsumoto, Tsukasa Ogasawara, and Noritaka Kawashima, from Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Keio University, University of Tokyo, and National Rehabilitation Center for the Persons with Disabilities (NRCD). Presented at 2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Tokyo, Japan.

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Imperial researcher discusses how prototype sensor technology may make robotic prosthetics more user-friendly for people in the future.

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In this exclusive movie, German athlete Denise Schindler explains how she is working with Autodesk to become the first cyclist to compete with a fully 3D-printed prosthetic leg at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

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On Episode 8 of Two Roads, Para Sprinter Trenten Merrill tells us about a defining moment in his life and how he was able to turn a terrible accident into an opportunity to compete at the highest level and continue to chase his dreams.

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A videogamer says his life has been changed now he has started wearing the First prosthetic limb based on a videogame.

Daniel Melville (UK) owns and wears a copy of the arm worn by Adam Jensen in Deus Ex, Square Enix's cyberpunk RPGs videogame series set in a futuristic era of transhumanist body upgrades.

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This prototype ankle could make the lives of many people a lot easier one day. The creator, professor Michael Goldfarb from Vanderbilt University, hopes to commercialize the product soon.

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Motherboard meets Kevin Vaughan, a 28-year-old vet and amputee as he tries his new amphibious water prosthetic, "The Fin,” a 3D printed prosthetic engineered for swimming.

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An Inflatable robotic hand design gives amputees real-time tactile control and enables a wide range of daily activities, such as zipping a suitcase, shaking hands, and petting a cat. The smart hand is soft and elastic, weighs about half a pound, and costs a fraction of comparable prosthetics.

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