For millions of years, humans have had ten digits in their hands. However, experts at the University of Cambridge seem to think that this is quite sufficient, so they created a new, controllable prosthetic extra thumb.
Extra Robotic Thumb
In a groundbreaking advancement in motor augmentation, a team of researchers has developed a 3D-printed prosthetic robot to enhance a person's productivity. Known as the "Third Thumb," the device was the result of collaboration between scientists from the University of Cambridge, led by Professor Tamar Makin, and Dani Clode from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit.
The Third Thumb refers to an extra robotic thumb that aims to increase the user's range of movement. This can enhance the wearer's grasping capabilities and extend the carrying capacity of their hand.
The device is used by placing it on the opposite side of the palm to the natural thumb. The prosthetic is then controlled by a pressure sensor located beneath each big toe or foot.
The pressure applied with the toes helps the user move the Thumb up towards their fingers or across their hand. The right toe applies pressure which pulls the Thumb across a person's hand, while the left toe applied pressure which pulls it toward the fingers.
A trial study on using the Thumb was conducted at the annual Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in 2022. The results were published in the paper "Evaluating initial usability of a hand augmentation device across a large and diverse sample."
In this study, 596 participants from various backgrounds and age groups ranging from three to 96 years old were handed the device. Each of the participants was given a minute to familiarize themselves with the Thumb ahead of performing tasks like object manipulation.
Most of the participants successfully used the device within the first minute, an indication that the Third Thumb can be learned with ease. Within the first minute, 98% of the participants were able to manipulate the objects using the prosthetic robot, with only 13 of them unable to carry out the task.
The participants were also able to perform two tasks, which included picking up pegs from a pegboard, placing them in a basket, and controlling different foam objects. Both the older and younger adults demonstrated similar abilities, although the performance of the older ones was shown to decline due to age.
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Empowering Human Capabilities
Wearable technology has been beneficial in executing tasks that may seem tricky or challenging to consumers. According to Professor Makin, this technology is changing the definition of what it means to be human as machines increasingly become part of our daily lives. He also believes that it can open up exciting new opportunities that can potentially benefit society.
Disabled persons would likely benefit from the Third Thumb since it can help them carry out tasks with only one hand without the assistance of other individuals. According to Dani, augmentation is about designing a new relationship with technology. This means creating something that extends beyond being just a tool to actually become an extension of a person's body.
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