USU researchers put control back into the hands of wounded warriors
A cutting-edge bionic arm that can be controlled with subtle muscle movements is being prescribed to wounded warriors at Walter Reed
By Sarah Marshall
Contributions by Christopher Austin
(Footage by Neil Orman, Edited by Kyle Skerbe)
Dubbed the LUKE arm (Life Under Kinetic Evolution) – in
reference to Luke Skywalker’s own bionic hand in the Star Wars series – the arm
was developed by Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in
collaboration with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) and The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA).
While not at the same level of technology as seen a long
time ago in a galaxy far away, the LUKE is easily one of the most advanced
pieces of prosthesis on the planet.
We're working on it (Image Credit: Giphy) |
This is far from the first bionic limb developed for injured
Service members, but it is definitely one of the first arms that offers this
degree of control. Bionic legs have been produced over the last two decades,
but arms and have been harder to develop due to their complexity.
Previously, USU and WRNMMC worked with Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory to create the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL), which
also used muscle signals to control the bionics. Before volunteers even put on
the arms, they need to go through training via the Virtual Integrated
Environment, which records the users’ muscle movements so that the MPL can be
calibrated for the specific user.
“It’s really fun
working with the [MPL], and to see what’s going to be coming in the future,”
said Air Force Tech Sgt. Joe Delauries, the first patient at WRNMMC to use the
MPL. “Any input I can put into the program, to help them out, and future
amputees, is an honor for me. It’s very rewarding.”
Currently, most prosthetic limbs attach to the body by
harnesses across the torso or grips on the arm. Some iterations of the MPL can
actually be mounted to the body through attachments grafted to the user’s skeleton.
Researchers are working on electrical sensors that can be
attached to nerves, or even embedded in the brain, to allow for better control
someday in the future.
The developers of the arm believe that those who are willing
to put their lives in harm’s way deserve the very best, and through this
revolutionary project, USU and WRNMMC are working with the greatest
manufacturers across the globe to come up with modern solutions to the loss of
an upper limb