DEKA Research & Development developed the arm, which integrates latest technology in electronics, motors, batteries, and materials.
The arm features powered shoulder that holds capacity to reach overhead or behind the back, as well as elbow that can lift a bag of groceries from floor to tabletop.
Its multi-movement wrist includes precision, range of motion, and dexterity to hold a glass of water overhead or at waist level without spilling.
With four independent motors and a conforming grip, the hand can hold delicate items such as phone or an egg, in addition to heavy items such as gallon of milk.
The arm’s grip-force sensor can sense how firmly something is being grasped and communicates that information to the user.
Mobius Bionics said the Luke arm is the result of years of research and testing by nearly 100 amputees for over 10,000 hours of use.
DEKA president Dean Kamen said: “Up to this point, design in prosthetic arms has been limited to incremental changes.
“We developed the LUKE arm to change the game for amputees – creating an innovative, integrated system that offers greater functionality and independence to our wounded warriors and other amputees,”
Image: The Luke arm in the shoulder configuration. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire.
