“I have been able to hold my daughter’s hand for the first time in five years since my accident.” — Jason Koger
Do you need a bionic hand capable of using opposable thumbs; of picking up small things, and of doing a handshake?
There’s an app for that.
Livingston based (UK) Touch Bionics developed a prosthetic hand capable of doing 24 different types of grip patterns. And double amputee, Jason Koger, has become the first person in the world to get a pair of bionic hands that can be controlled by an iPhone app:
You can read more about this breakthrough here.
The Hypertextual Lounge 
Its very interesting what the human being can do with technology and make the world advance more and more. I didn’t know about the hand having different grip patterns!!!!
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This is just the beginning. Maybe in the next few decades, a double amputee might be able to play Mozart.
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It is true when you say this is just the beginning because I just read a very interesting article about a very advanced prosthetic limb being created by scientists that, when it is operational, can be connected to the brain. I put the link of the article below this sentence.
http://robotzeitgeist.com/2010/08/brain-controlled-modular-prosthetic-limb.html
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We live in very exciting times indeed, Manuel. Great contribution.
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It’s very heartbreaking what happened to this man and to not be able to hold your daughter’s hand or anything at all must be awful. Many people have said that the iPhone is making humans more lazy or saying it’s bad for teenagers because we’re always so hung up on it, but this article showed that the iPhone, and all the apps, can be a great thing. Because of the application and the bionic hands, this man will be able to do many things. I don’t think anybody was expecting the iPhone to do such an amazing and advanced things. For this man to be able to do so many things now just because of this application is amazing. Maybe in the future the iPhone will continue to be more useful other than to what it already does.
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Technology is useful and good only when we put it to good use. An iPhone, a hammer, a pair of scissors, or a knife, are not ‘bad’; they are whatever use we give them. And this bionic hand is a pretty good example of technology being put to good use.
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I don’t think the point of the post was to show off the iPhones’ “capabilities” the app it ran could have be ran in any other hardware and it wouldn’t have made a difference. The video is showing of the prosthetic arms more than anything and the advancements in that field.
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I agree. The point of the post—as with most of them—is to link contemporary, scientific events with the current chapter or topic being discussed in class.
In this case, articulations and joints (Chapter 45: The Skeletal System) are mimicked in ways that promise a new era in prosthetic technologies.
The actual breakthrough of the i-Limb is not in the app—nor in the servos or mechanics that make possible the movement of the fingers. I believe that the true genius behind this is the way that previously extant technologies—such as mobile applications—were creatively combined—or «remixed»—with practical results.
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jay although you post correcting alanis is completely valid. i believe what she is referring to is how the i phone, something us kids use for stupidity’s such as angry birds or league of legends.can facilitate or be part of such an amazing project and as time goes the smart phone wont be even needed. but for now a smart phone or the app (however you look at it) is the link to controlling his robot hands. so yeah its very important
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I remember when the iPhone first appeared. Everyone was shredding 4 inch screens.
I truly believed that the term ‘smartphone’, which applies to either Android, Apple, etc., was the most ironic word of the first decade of the 21st century; but this innovation proved me wrong. There are people using smartphones in significant ways. And that is good news.
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This is an extraordinary example of how the usage of biotechnology positively influences society. Not only does this benefits the individual’s physical health, but also his mental health. By utilizing these prosthetics, the individual’s feelings of inferiority generated by his loss may significantly lower.
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Just imagine what other presets will be possible in the next few years. If these prosthetic i-limbs develop according to how mobile technology advances, the sky is the limit.
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Thanks to Bionic Technology people like Jason Koger can be able to move and to do the things that most people take for granted.
Like Jason, this man suffered a double amputee, but in his case, in both legs. Moreover, advancements in technology have brought hope, not only for him, but others with similar stories.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/10/24/new-bionic-technology-improves-life-for-double-amputee/
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Great contributions, Natalia. I encourage you to research the concept ‘cyborg’. The 21st century promises the technological singularity — I also encourage you to do research on this concept — as a science fact, more than a science fiction.
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Technology has blessed our generation. this is one of the most impressive things i’ve seen. In the future those who are medically needed will have so many options.
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Medicine in the next few decades promises to change the human experience in unimaginable ways. Imagine what the words «enhancement» and «update» will mean if these advancements keep this pace.
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The advancements in prosthetics make me wonder not only about the longevity of human life, but also as sports as a whole if Pistorius was able to beat the 200m at one point how long until other sports other than track start seeing implementations of more advance prosthetics might even get to a point where the people with prosthetics will have an advantage over those who don’t.
Oscar Pistorius’ 200m run – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBDg1ChJfwk
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Indeed. I also wonder what might happen with art. Imagine prosthetics that allow people to play piano in unprecedented ways—especially in the next two decades. Good contribution, Jay.
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At the beginning of the interview, when he shakes hands with the interviewer, I had to pause the video… I could not believe what I was seeing! I swore I was watching the movie iRobot or something! I remember that when I was a kid I always thought about the possibilities of using “robotic parts” on humans, this video made my mind/imagination/brain/soul burst in extreme amazement! The best part of this is not only that the guy can now continue a “normal” life but the fact that he can hug his daughter again. If we were able to “bring back” human arms, nanotechnology will soon maybe replace vital body parts, say your liver, intestines or even maybe your heart! Millions of lives could be saved because of this.
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I see what you are saying, Eduardo. What impressed me greatly about the video, was how well he could do such delicate movements with his thumbs and index fingers–the same grip that allowed humanity to be, basically, human. The fact that we have been able to mimic the rapier grip (agarre pinzas)—by opposing the index finger and the thumb; allowing him to grab a jelly bean—is as significant as when the Wright Brothers mimicked flight over a century ago.
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i think this is very amazing how humans are are advancing in technology, i think there is a bright future ahead of us
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Things are looking up, indeed. Let’s hope politics are prove to be more of a help than an obstacle.
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It’s incredible how an advantage in technology has been able to bring happiness to a person’s life. The man who now has the opportunity to take advantage of this invention said, “I have been able to hold my daughter’s hand for the first time in five years since my accident.” The simple fact that due to his new hands he now has the opportunity to hold his daughter’s hand, even though not physically and literal, at least he can imagine that he really is holding his daughter like he once used to.
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This is definitively a success story.
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Wow, I find this story completely inspiring. We take life for granted, something so insignificant for many of us would mean the world to others. This is a lesson for many of us, and it teaches us the importance of appreciating what we are able to do. This story presents technology the way its supposed to, not to hurt others but to help.
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The tripod grip—also known as the rapier grip—is something that, as Gupta said, we take for granted.
This grip allowed humanity to do things write, play music, paint, plant angiosperms, build rocket ships, etc. As I said in one of my replies to one of the comments, the fact that an artificial invention can mimic this motion, is a pretty big deal.
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It’s good to know how science is helping so much! Putting something as a cellphone, something we have on us all the time, as a control for the limb is amazing. Maybe in a future he will be able to find a job and feel useful and happy. Touching and grasping makes us feel alive, great to know that he will recover that feeling. Great to know how far science has come in a considerable short time, from this to an App powered limb!
http://2010deltaproject.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=109503549
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“Application” or “app” should not remain in the realm if mobile technology. Many great applications can be put to good use, if only creativity is stimulated in proper ways. That is why science education—as well as music, art, etc.—are so important.
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this is very interesting because if it was me with a problem in my hand and i cant move it i would like to use that kind of technology!! (:
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These type of technologies—if put to good—will help not only double amputees, but people that need therapies, orthopedic treatment, etc.
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A teenager in the UK by the name of Patrick Kane received one of these last week as well. (Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/22295659) Moments like these are essential for us to reevaluate the way in which we’re letting technology take over our lives. Consumerist ideals have shaped our society and have led us able-bodied folks to believe that we absolutely need the latest technology to make our lives “easier”. However, people like Jason Kroger and Patrick Kane are more than just living examples of technological innovations; they are people who understand the true value of technology and its true impact on life.
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Great contribution, Carolina. We will see more of these in the following months, due to the fact that the i-Limb is out of the lab, and in the lives of real people with real needs for prosthetics.
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Its incredible how were people capable of imitating the controls of a human hand, however its also interesting how do we take stuff for granted.
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Especially such everyday things as a grip. To think that that grip—the tripod grip—, that has allowed mankind to do many wonderful things, is taken for granted. Makes me think about how difficult our lives would be without such delicate an complex articulations and joints.
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I think this is a great invention. People that dont have the hands deserve things like this specially when its a part of the body so usefull. This is an invention that is very usefull and gives the opportunity to those unfortunate a chances to feel better and not inferior than others.
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Expect more impressive results in the next few years. This innovation is available for anyone who needs it–and costs will eventually be less.
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Wow if it weren’t for mac making Iphones etc… there wouldn’t be apps or maybe they would’ve been but still because of this tchonology people can now wear bionic arms that are controled by an app. I thinks that years from now they are not only going to teach world history but technology history and that would be awesome!
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I’m not entirely convinced about Mac or Apple being given too much credit for this breakthrough. Like Jay stated a few days ago, this type of breakthrough could have happened with any type of mobile technology.
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it is delightful to know that technology has advanced so much to the point were you can control a bionic arm. who knew that the iphone could control those things with an app!
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Many more innovations will be available in the next few decades as these types of technologies get cheaper.
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I find this truly amazing. Being able to control a hand via iPhone is just awesome. And its really great to see how technology is advancing in a way really helpful. This kind of innovation opens up to a world of possibilities. They have achieved movement, but what if in the future they can make you regain touch ?
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That is possibly the next frontier in the universe of prosthetics. It all depends on what innovations can be achieved with an organ we know very little about: the human brain.
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That is amazing!!! I wonder how long it would take for a person with amputations to play music. Technology has really advanced!! Can’t wait to see what will we advance in next.
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I can’t wait to see a double amputee with next-gen i-Limbs playing Mozart–or shredding mad beats on a turntable.
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People with no limbs just got happier be seeing this, and create future robots remotely controlled to do impossible jobs for people. Check this out http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/aldebaran-robotics-nao-robot-autism-solution-for-kids
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Pretty cool robot. The field of robotics is an amazing area of scientific research, promising many applications: security, biomedical, engineering, and even education. Great link, Adrian.
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is really interesting how advanced is the technology now days, people without hands can use bionic hands that are like real hands basicly
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It is really interesting to see how you can do that, by just using an app on the iPhone. Mankind is capable of doing more and more stuff each day with technology. Soon enough, they’ll be able to do big operations on people using some kind of app.
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I agree. Imagine how cool would it be: operating with i-Limbs; designing tissue—artificial 3D printed tissue—that envelopes artificial phalanges (study the human skeleton for the final).
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Wow, technology never seizes to surprise me. This man’s story is so inspiring, to finally be able to not only hold your daughter’s hand again, but completely function, is truly remarkable. Technology is really improving and as technology improves, we can improve if we learn how to use it. I think this has been my favorite article out of the whole blog. So thank you teacher for sharing it.
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The pictures on the i-Limb blew my mind.
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It’s very sad the situation that this young man experienced. But it’s amazing the great advance in the technology. You can see another technology of the scientific for example in this site http://www.livescience.com/11381-bionic-humans-top-10-technologies.html I read about early stages of research about the bionic eyes. This Harvard scientific posted and image about this bionic eyes and consider that this process its better for the people that once saw.
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I liked this part:
“The Argus II uses electrodes implanted in the eye, which could help people who’ve lost some of their retinal function.”
This is a big deal.
Excellent link, Aleiri.
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It is really interesting how much technology has advanced throughout the years and how it will keep advancing. I found a link of a 16 year old boy who was the first person in the UK to get Britain’s first bionic hand to be controlled by an iPhone app: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teenage-boy-gets-britains-first-1850172
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it is really interesting how technology has advanced more in our generation. some people say technology is not good for us because it makes are lives more easier but it actually good for us in many ways an example may be this man in this video. it is very amazing how technology has developed and helped us.
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i’m very glad to see that technology has made this creation helping people to do things with the hands that they couldn’t before. im very happy to see that people like Jason Koger can now live a normal life and do things with his hands. Although the hands are not as important as the heart that keeps you alive, they are the ones who help you do everything and is very good to know that people who dont have hands can now do normal things like those who are blessed and have all their body parts.
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It’s very impresive to see what biotechnology can do. Hopefully, this kind of technology will help more people who are medically needed.
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It was a very interesting blog post!!! 😉
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wow! it’s incredible how technology has influenced a lot in our daily lives. Here’s another example of a teenage boy in London that uses this robotic arms http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22278125
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Its amazing how technology is so advanced and how it can help people in so many different ways, like it does for this man. I cant imagine how andvanced technology would be in the future.
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this app is realy cool and you can see how much the technology has revovlved and cganged now in the future most of the people that are disabled can use this technology.
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Mobile technology used in unprecedented ways will be a daily occurrence in the next few decades.
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it is very interesting what humans can do with technology. technology is very advanced and can help in lots of things. its amazing what technology did to this man it has improved him.
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it is very sad how this man has to deal with his life without hands, i think that the iphone is making people more lazy. but this app is pretty cool and you can see how the technology has advanced
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I agree that there are things about mobile technology that we don’t like, but this video is a good piece of evidence in favor of smartphones as actual smart devices.
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I think this is AMAZING! This show how society has really advanced over the years and how technology can help someone with their daily lives, can make someones life better. I believe this is just the beginning of this prostetic arms, and soon enough there will be legs and so much more beyond what we could ever imagine.
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This is such a useful new technology they have invented, I just can’t imagine what they will invent 20 years from now. For a person to lose its hand and being capable of getting a bionic hand which can do 24 different movements its a real prestige and it shows how technology keeps advancing!
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Its amazing how both, technology has improved so much that you can even lose a arm and now you can fix it and also, we humans do take many things for granted. This man is living a hard life with mechanical arms but he does not complain and lives it happily
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Wow theres an app for everything. Some apps are usless other are useful like this one. I think this really changes a himans life and make their life easier.
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People now a day think that technology is bad in society because they kind of make life easier for us and because of this we tend to become dumber by not using our brain like it is supposed to. With this touching story people should realize that what we have (meaning technology) is something we should be grateful for not something that harms us, because if we were to use technology for the good of humanity as said before in this post sky is the limit. See how a person can now live a better life because of technology now he has hands, others have legs, and now we have artificial hearts, the purpose of technology is helping people like the person in this interview.
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Altruism is key. Well said, Gabo.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22278125 I found a teenager on the internet who also has this app controled bionic arm. He is 16 and says that the new i-limb was priceless!
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Great share, Kendall.
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I like it how incapacitated persons can now use their phone to help them on their everyday life, this is such a great advancement of technology
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Imagine what we’ll have in the next few decades.
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Its amazing how the technology has help the people have a better life. And i ask how much can this cost.
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In a few years we will be able to make an entire robotic body and it is very interesting how an arm can be controlled by an app
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That is definitely a big advancement but what would happen if you are alone in a place with no electrical outlet and the phone runs out of battery? the person would have to carry all that weight until he finally charges it, it obviously needs a lot of tweeking but it is a great first step
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Yes. There are limitations. But the success of the i-Limb outweighs its “failures.”
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It’s amazing how technology advances so fast and help us humans live better and satisfy our needs/problems.
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They always have an app for everything even for a bionic arm it’s interesting how the world is growing in technology
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It is very intresting how prosthetic from being made out of just ruber can now be controled by computer or even your phone. They have changed so munch in just a few years!
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Which Jorge are you? Please clarify so that I do not get confused.
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The use of biotechnology to help society’s weaknesses is amazing. Like he said, people take the physical abilities they have for granted and just seeing how invention by invention helps us understand it more is truly a miracle.
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A lot of money is being put into biotech firms. Let’s hope these billionaires are a little more altruistic than the barbarians that caused the 2008 crisis (remember the film Inside Job from your History class).
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Wow! This is a great example on how biotechnology has crated a huge impact on society. Mankind can look foward to a wide range of prospects that stern from biotechnology. !
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