Test subjects show surprising ability to play piano with a third thumb

Could an existing piano player adapt to playing the instrument with an extra, robotic thumb? A new study suggests that the answer is yes, and interestingly enough, even people who are new to the piano are equally adept at using the added appendage.Cont… Continue reading Test subjects show surprising ability to play piano with a third thumb

How an extra thumb changes the way your brain perceives the hand

A few years ago a London-based designer named Dani Clode introduced the world to the Third Thumb, a novel robotic finger controlled using pressure sensors under one’s feet. The project was more a novelty than a prototype, exploring futurist ideas surro… Continue reading How an extra thumb changes the way your brain perceives the hand

VR wristband tracks finger-taps via vibrating wrist bones

Currently, if you want a VR setup to “know” what your individual fingers are doing, you either have to wear special gloves or place your hands directly in front of a camera. A new system, however, keeps tabs on the fingers via a simple wristband.Contin… Continue reading VR wristband tracks finger-taps via vibrating wrist bones

3D finger-vein ID tech claimed to be virtually foolproof

It sometimes seems that as soon as another form of biometric ID authentication is developed, someone devises a way of fooling it. According to its creators, however, a new 3D finger vein-scanning system cannot be duped.Continue ReadingCategory: Science… Continue reading 3D finger-vein ID tech claimed to be virtually foolproof

Thermal camera bracelet reads your wrist to track your fingers

Capturing the complexities of the human hand is a difficult task – just ask any artist or animator. Now, engineers at Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new wearable system that uses thermal sensors to accuratel… Continue reading Thermal camera bracelet reads your wrist to track your fingers

Fail of the Week: Good Prosthetic Hand Design Goes Bad

Is this a case of a good design gone wrong in the build phase? Or is this DIY prosthetic arm a poor design from the get-go? Either way, [Will Donaldson] needs some feedback, and Hackaday is just the right place for that.

Up front, we’ll say kudos to [Will] for having the guts to post a build that’s less than successful. And we’ll stipulate that when it comes to fully articulated prosthetic hands, it’s easy to fail. His design is ambitious, with an opposable thumb, fingers with three phalanges each, a ball and socket wrist, and internal servos driving everything. …read more

Continue reading Fail of the Week: Good Prosthetic Hand Design Goes Bad