Tweezers? Wrenches? Researchers plot prosthetics’ future with tools, not hands Timmy Broderick By Timmy Broderick June 11, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/11/future-prosthetics-bionic-tools-not-mechanical-fingers/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--A1HI77jChJWxo4YJZoXIWLXNrTR-GKlU4AOPcnL7TG0hTdnNm_QNTQPbhTO6VgAKNiyYRXG2A0W_ilTVysp5TEhiEBg&_hsmi=310992891&utm_content=310992891&utm_source=hs_email Prosthetic users liked tweezers, wrenches as much as “natural” hands in a new study “Embodiment” is the ultimate goal for people who build prosthetic limbs. It’s the feeling somebody gets when they have agency or ownership over a body part. For prosthetic users, it means more muscle control, improved sensory feedback, and less limb pain. But it’s an elusive target — nearly half of people with upper limb prosthetics actually end up abandoning them. In a recent study, researchers took an unconventional approach to seek embodiment for users. Using virtual reality, participants tried out bionic tools like tweezers or wrenches instead of more “natural” hand prosthetics. And it worked: Participants felt as or even more embodied with these tools than with the “natural” option. The idea of “tool-mediated embodiment” isn’t completely new to people with disabilities, STAT’s Timmy Broderick reports, but it could expand the possibilities for prosthetics. Read more.