Soon, prosthetic hands may become 'human-like', get ability to sense things

Scientists have developed an electronic glove that can be worn over a prosthetic hand to provide human-like softness, warmth, appearance and sensory perception, such as the ability to sense pressure, temperature and hydration.



People with hand amputations experience difficult daily life challenges, often leading to lifelong use of prosthetic hands and services, according to researchers from Purdue University in the US, who developed the e-glove.



While a conventional prosthetic hand helps restore mobility, the new e-glove advances the technology by offering the realistic human hand-like features in daily activities and life roles, with the potential to improve their mental health and wellbeing by helping them more naturally integrate into social contexts.



The e-glove, described in the journal NPG Asia Materials, uses thin, flexible electronic sensors and miniaturised silicon-based circuit chips on the commercially available nitrile glove. Read Complete Article