Revolutionary Bionic Hand Transforms Life of Swedish Woman
A Swedish woman who lost her hand in a farming accident has been fitted with a cutting-edge bionic hand that has changed her life. The 50-year-old woman, known as Karin, received the hand, which is based on groundbreaking technology that connects directly to the user’s bones, muscles, and nerves.
The bionic hand creates a human-machine interface that allows artificial intelligence (AI) to translate brain signals into precise movements. Thanks to this advanced technology, Karin now has a limited sense of touch and can individually move all five fingers of her bionic hand with a success rate of 95 percent.
After living without a right hand for two decades, Karin can now perform 80 percent of her daily activities that she used to do, including preparing food, picking up objects, and manipulating zippers and door knobs. The prosthetic hand has not only improved her motor skills but also significantly reduced her excruciating phantom pain, which she described as feeling like her hand was going through a meat grinder.
“I have better control over my prosthesis, but above all, my pain has decreased,” says Karin. “Today, I need much less medication.”
The successful development of the bionic hand was recently published in the journal Science Robotics by an international team of engineers from Sweden, Italy, and Australia. This is the first time a robotic hand with internal electrodes has shown long-term viability for amputations below the elbow.
Robotic engineer Max Ortiz Catalán, who led the research at the Bionics Institute in Melbourne, Australia, and the Center for Bionics and Pain Research in Sweden, expressed optimism about the potential of this technology for individuals facing limb loss. He noted that Karin’s ability to comfortably and effectively use her prosthesis in daily activities for years serves as evidence of the life-changing capabilities of this novel technology.
The bionic hand developed for Karin is unique because it contains embedded sensors, unlike other hand prostheses on the market. Typically, sensory electrodes are placed on the outside of the prosthesis, limiting its control. However, by utilizing osseointegration, a technique that directly anchors the artificial limb to the skeleton, the quality and quantity of sensory signals are improved.
To connect the prosthesis to Karin’s arm, implants were placed in her ulna and radius bones, with a muscle graft from her leg providing reattachment for the severed muscles and nerves in her arm. The muscle grafts also contained electrodes to amplify signals to the interface.
The direct anchoring of the prosthesis to the bone makes it more comfortable for patients to wear compared to conventional prostheses. The bionic hand, named Mia Hand, was developed by the Italian company Prensilia and funded by the European Commission.
“We at the Bionics Institute are excited by what Professor Ortiz Catalán and his team have achieved so far, and by their ongoing development of next-generation bionic limb technology, particularly with regards to its potential to assist with phantom limb pain relief,” says Robert Klupacs, CEO of the Bionics Institute.
Professor Ortiz Catalán, now working in Ukraine, aims to provide his expertise to amputees affected by the war. The study detailing the bionic hand’s success was published in Science Robotics, showcasing the tremendous strides being made in improving the quality of life for amputees through technological advancements and innovation.