Back in 2008, Jason Koger had the misfortune of running over a downed power line on his four-wheeler, being shocked with 7200V of electricity and ultimately having both his hands amputated. Now, he’s had the good luck to get a pair of new ones that can be controlled by an iPhone app.
The i-Limb (*groan*) Ultra Revolution was developed by UK-based prosthetic developers Touch Bionics and offers five independently powered fingers including a fully rotatable thumb. It’s smart enough to auto-grasp objects like cups or utensils, but through the use of the associated app, Koger also has access to a library of 24 other grip patterns for more complex activities.
The I-Limb doesn’t look like it’s quite as natural as the real-life Terminator limb, but Koger is duel-wielding, so he gets extra points for that. And both are still a far cry from real, brain-controlled prosthetics, but they’re also much, much better than any inert lump of plastic. Koger just better make sure he doesn’t misplace that iPhone. [CNN]