Sure, a bionic hand may be more practical, but having a third thumb might actually be more useful than you think. University of Cambridge researchers came up with such a device to help improve the quality of life for healthy individuals who want to enhance their productivity.
The Third Thumb is worn by the user on the opposite side of the palm to the biological thumb and controlled by a pressure sensor placed under each big toe or foot. The thumb is pulled across the hand by pressure from the right toe, while the pressure exerted with the left toe pulls it toward the fingers. Put simply, the extent of its movement is proportional to the pressure applied, and releasing pressure moves it back to its original position. This same technology can also provide people with disabilities new ways to interact with their environment.
- Build your own awesome, wearable mechanical hand that you operate with your own fingers.
- No motors, no batteries — just the power of air pressure, water, and your own hands!
- Hydraulic pistons enable the mechanical fingers to open and close and grip objects with enough force to lift them. Every finger joint can be adjusted...
These technologies open up exciting new opportunities that can benefit society, but it’s vital that we consider how they can help all people equally, especially marginalized communities who are often excluded from innovation research and development. To ensure everyone will have the opportunity to participate and benefit from these exciting advances, we need to explicitly integrate and measure inclusivity during the earliest possible stages of the research and development process,” said Professor Tamar Makin from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge.
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