Imagine losing a hand in an accident and facing life with a limited, clumsy prosthetic limb. This is a reality for millions worldwide dealing with amputations or congenital limb deficiencies. However, a groundbreaking solution is on the horizon, offering the promise of natural sensation and adaptability through the Mia Hand, developed by Italian robotic prosthetics company Prensilia.
The Mia Hand is no ordinary prosthetic; it’s a smart device that can sense its environment and adapt its grip for various tasks, covering 80% of daily movements with five different types of grasps. It leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret the user’s brain signals, translating them into prosthesis movements and even providing sensations like touch and pressure.
Designed for comfort and ease of use, the Mia Hand fits snugly on the patient’s arm, comes in various colors and skins, and features wireless charging. Its cornerstone technology, the Human-Machine Interface (HMI), is a titanium implant inserted into the arm bone, facilitating bidirectional communication between the brain and the prosthesis.
Sensors in the Mia Hand’s fingertips measure force and contact area during object manipulation, sending feedback signals to the HMI, which then stimulates the patient’s nerves, creating a sensation of touch.
One of the remarkable benefits of the Mia Hand is its ability to reduce phantom pain, a chronic condition affecting many amputees. By providing natural sensory feedback, the Mia Hand overrides abnormal signals, alleviating this condition and offering a sense of control over the prosthesis.
Karin, a 45-year-old farmer from Sweden, has been using the Mia Hand for three years. She lost her left hand in an accident at 25 and had been dissatisfied with a conventional prosthetic. With the Mia Hand, she feels like she has her hand back, regaining the ability to perform various daily tasks and experiencing the temperature and texture of objects.
Although still in the development and testing phase, the Mia Hand has shown promise in clinical trials, and Prensilia aims to make it commercially available by 2025.
Key Takeaways:
- The Mia Hand, a groundbreaking AI-enhanced bionic hand, offers natural sensation and adaptability.
- It uses AI to interpret brain signals, translating them into prosthesis movements and providing sensations like touch and pressure.
- The Mia Hand features a comfortable and user-friendly design with wireless charging.
- Its core technology, the Human-Machine Interface (HMI), enables bidirectional communication between the brain and the device.
- The Mia Hand helps reduce phantom pain, providing natural sensory feedback and enhancing patient control.
- Clinical trials have shown promising results, and it’s expected to be available commercially by 2025.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
