FDA has approved a new robotic 'Luke Skywalker' arm that is controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes.
The DEKA Arm System, which detects muscle contraction close to the area where the prosthesis is attached, allows a person to flex certain muscles in order to perform complex tasks, Discovery News reported.
The system is controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes, which detect muscle contraction close to the area where the prosthesis is attached and the signals allow the arm to make 10 different powered movements.
The development of the robotic arm was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and may allow some people to perform more complex tasks than they can with current prostheses in a way that more closely resembles the natural motion of the arm.
Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the Food and Drug Administration, said that this innovative prosthesis provides a new option for people with certain kinds of arm amputations.