In a galaxy far, far away, Luke Skywalker once got a new, robotic hand after his turned-evil father Darth Vader had cut of his real one in battle. The scene with the robotic hand reacting to touch from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back has long become iconic. But for long it was nothing but science fiction.

Now science has come so far that Luke Skywalker’s hand prosthetic seems like the next logical step. But before we get to that, we go back a few steps:

Prosthetics throughout history

The history of prosthetics is a long and interesting one, spanning centuries. The first recorded use of a prosthetic is found in the Rig Veda, an ancient Indian cosmologic poem written between 3500 – 1800 BC. Then there is a record from 218 BC of Marcus Sergius, a Roman general, having been fitted with an iron prosthesis for his right arm lost in battle. Moving forward through the ages we see a series of metal or wooden prosthetics like hooks and claws (Peter Pan’s mortal enemy springs to mind), to those made from lighter weight, carbon fibre or other lightweight man-made materials with various designs and functionality.

From humble beginnings

And that is where Touch Bionics comes into the picture. The company began its roots at the Princess Margaret Rose Hospital in Edinburgh in 1963 when the hospital began researching the development of prosthesis for children affected by thalidomide. In 1986 David Gow joined the team and the ball really got rolling. Within a few years time, David Gow was receiving international recognition in the world of electronically powered prosthetics, and he eventually started Touch Bionics as a spin off company. In 2007 the first i-Limb hand prosthesis was launched – revolutionising the lives of the users. In 2013 the products come close to the hand prosthetics of Luke Skywalker. Though his could not be controlled by a Smartphone.  

The Product Range

Touch Bionic now provides a range of prosthetics for customers depending on the specific needs of the end user:

i-limb digits

Is a customised prosthetic for individuals with partial hand loss or deficiency, i.e. people that have lost one or several fingers but not the main body of the hand or wrist. Basically it involves adding independently articulating, electronic fingers to the hand which are controlled by electrode or force sensing resistors. They have a series of programmable grips or hand gestures, and when used in conjunction with the users remaining digits, can create high levels of precision and hand function.

Living Skin

Is a range of passive prostheses for those who value a natural aesthetic appearance to full functionality. While the prosthetic itself is passive, it can still be used for a range of everyday functions such as pushing, pulling, lightly grasping or typing. The main point that sets these prosthetics apart from the rest is their stunningly life like appearance. They are crafted from a light and durable silicone and are hand painted to match the wearers skin tone and contours. The attention to detail on these is truly breath-taking including features such as hair, freckles and even tattoos. The living skin range can be crafted for missing fingers, hands or entire arms.

i-limb Ultra Revolution

The i-limb Ultra revolution is latest model on the market and the epitome of electronic prosthetics today. Its designed for the user who wants to get the best possible use out of their prosthetic. It is customisable depending on the users individual needs with 24 programmable grip functions including precision rips for picking up small objects, and a natural resting position for when your hands are relaxed. It has a natural hand motion with the fingers bending at natural joints, enabling the wearer grip a wide range of everyday object with ease. The prosthetic is also able to delicately grasp as well as tightly squeeze objects depending on the users need at the time. It is fitted with a rotating power thumb and is able to not only automatically switch between lateral and opposable grip patterns but do so at a more natural grip transition speed. The i-limb ultra also comes in a range of coverings, from active to natural-look covers, or those who are more conscious of the aesthetic aspects the Living Skin team can be consulted to make a custom-made cover to suit the wears specific skin tone and appearance.

We ask you: What do you think is the next necessary step for prosthetics?

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