AI allows bionic hand to ‘see’ and grip

Current upper limb prosthetics that can grip are controlled by myoelectric signals from the muscles in the stump, but it’s a skill that takes patience and time to master. Funded by the EPSRC, the Newcastle team created a computer vision system that enables prosthetics to ‘see’ with the assistance of an off-the-shelf camera. The work appears in the Journal of Neural Engineering.

“Responsiveness has been one of the main barriers to artificial limbs,” said Dr Kianoush Nazarpour, senior lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at Newcastle University. “For many amputees the reference point is their healthy arm or leg, so prosthetics seem slow and cumbersome in comparison.”

“Using computer vision, we have developed a bionic hand which can respond automatically - in fact, just like a real hand, the user can reach out and pick up a cup or a biscuit with nothing more than a quick glance in the right direction.”