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British company Touch Bionics has created the world’s first powered bionic fingers that can be used by patients with missing fingers.

ProDigits, as the device is called, can help its users bend, touch, pick up and point — reflecting almost all the key functions of a natural hand. The prosthetic fingers are for those who have a partial hand, where the absence of fingers is due either to congenital anomalies or to amputation, says Touch Bionics.

Maria Iglesias, a former concert pianist from Spain, is among the first patients to get the custom-made mechanical fingers. The bionic fingers cost between $57,000 and $73,000. Touch Bionics already has a prosthetic arm called i-LIMB that has become a part of more than 3,000 patients.

Advanced prosthetic arms are an active area of research, as scientists and doctors try to find ways to replicate the functionality of the human arm. The human hand is difficult to create artificially, because it is not just about movement. The hand also offers feedback about the texture and nature of the object. Conventional prosthetic arms have been little more than hooks with fingers that are fused together.

Touch Bionic’s ProDigits fingers help solve one part of the problem. For some patients, not having fingers or opposable thumbs makes small tasks such as holding a fork or a cup difficult and frustrating. ProDigits’ artificial fingers can wiggle independently or come together to form a fist.

Each of the bionic fingers is custom-built. The sockets are designed and fabricated to suit each patient’s specific needs, says the company.

ProDigits are activated either by myoelectric sensors that register muscle signals from the residual finger or palm, or by a pressure-sensitive switch input in the form of a touchpad. The fingers also have a feature that detects when they have closed around an object.

As the video shows, the degree of flexibility that the ProDigits offers is amazing.

For more on prosthetic arms, see our photo gallery featuring prototypes such as a thought-controlled prosthetic arm and an arm powered by a miniature rocket motor.

Photo: Touch Bionics

Dell and HP, HP and Dell. The United States’ two biggest computer hardware manufacturers, and two of the world’s top three, have tended to match each other step for step, so it’s no surprise that Dell’s recently released SX2210T was quickly followed by a Compaq L2105tm from its closest rival. Measuring 21.5 inches each, with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and optical multitouch technology under their chunky bezels, these two models represent the biggest mainstream push for touchscreen computing yet. Functionally identical to standard monitors, they offer the added benefit of letting you input your heart’s urges and desires using swipes, gestures and flicks, and we’ve plucked one of each panel to see how this all plays out for ourselves. Join us after the break, won’t you?

Continue reading Dell SX2210T vs. HP L2105tm: optical multitouch head-to-head review

Dell SX2210T vs. HP L2105tm: optical multitouch head-to-head review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re kind of late to this party, but better late than never, right? At the end of last month, German company Evoluce announced its 47-inch multitouch display, touting Full HD (or 1920 x 1080) resolution and “Integrated-Through-Screen-Optics,” which allow it to recognize an unlimited number of simultaneous inputs. The ONE also features haptic feedback and is compatible with Windows 7’s multitouch features right out of the box, with support for some “other OS” also planned. If you’re thinking this looks like a legit competitor to Microsoft’s Surface, well, you’d be right. We’ve got the full PR for you after the break, as well as hands-on video of the (relatively) new device.

Continue reading Evoluce ONE gives you 47 inches of multitouch surface to play with (video)

Filed under: Displays

Evoluce ONE gives you 47 inches of multitouch surface to play with (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redefining the way we interact with computers is a pretty ambitious task as far as things go, but that’s just what R. Clayton Miller is looking to do with his so-called 10/GUI project, and he may just be onto something. Miller begins with the notion that the traditional mouse-based interface lacks the “interaction bandwidth” afforded by multitouch interfaces, and that touch-enabled desktops (or laptops) are inherently problematic since they can’t be used for prolonged periods of time — even a flat surface will do a number on your neck if you use it all day. To solve that problem, Miller proposes separating the touch surface from the display and placing it below the keyboard in the form of a large, hybrid capacative / resistive touch panel. That’s just the beginning, however, and Miller has also devised a whole new interface that makes use of all your fingers, and a new linear means of displaying windows that strikes a balance ease of use and the ability to manage numerous applications. Of course, there are some drawbacks — you’d still likely pull out a mouse for Photoshop or a marathon Left 4 Dead session — but we’d certainly be curious to see how this would play out in practice. Head on past the break for a full video overview.

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading 10/GUI interface looks to redefine the touch-enabled desktop

Filed under: Desktops, Software

10/GUI interface looks to redefine the touch-enabled desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know what you’re thinking, how dare that new iPod nano have features your premium iPhone and iPod touch handhelds don’t? Well, if this 9 to 5 Mac rumor has any merit, Apple is right there with you and has a solution in the works. According to said whispers, a Radio app is in the works to capitalize on the recent models’ latent FM tuner. It’ll either be standalone or integrated into the iPod app, and either way it’ll be able to work in the background while you browse other, not so fortunate apps. The apparent cause for delay is work on a feature that’ll identify the songs and link you to the appropriate iTunes page for purchase. As always, this is just a rumor, so do yourself a favor and try not to dwell on it too much, k?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

iPhone and iPod touch radio app with iTunes store integration on the horizon? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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