A mind-controlled prosthetic limb called the DEKA arm recently became the first prosthetic of its kind to receive FDA approval. The limb, which is approximately the same weight and size of an adult arm, was created by a company founded by Dean Kamen, the man who invented the Segway.
The DEKA arm is controlled by electromyogram electrodes placed on the remaining portion of the human arm which utilize electric signals from muscle movements in the upper arm as wells as computer maneuvers programmed into the limb itself.
DARPA has invested upwards of $40 million into the development of the DEKA arm and the FDA is claiming it is the first prosthetic arm controlled by electric signals that can accomplish multiple, robotically-powered movements at once.
With the approval from the FDA, the next step for the DEKA arm is to seek out a manufacturer capable of efficiently producing the prosthetic limbs in order to get them out to people in need.
