{"id":180,"date":"2009-06-20T17:59:36","date_gmt":"2009-06-20T15:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swisswuff.ch\/tech\/?p=180"},"modified":"2019-12-03T10:04:47","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T08:04:47","slug":"artistic-visions-for-prosthetic-design-iv-wooden-design-model-hand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swisswuff.ch\/tech\/?p=180","title":{"rendered":"Artistic visions for prosthetic design IV – wooden design model hand"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is part of my Red Hand Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We all agree that cool options for a prosthetic hand do not have to necessarily be hugely expensive. Myoelectric options are not an option right now and at this moment, as I am not a glutton for painishment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So I got a wooden hand with adjustable fingers. I banged it up so it’d fit on my wrist and here is how that looks. I can use that to try to look cool and for typing (that is noteworthy as that is just about what other people use ridiculously expensive prostheses such as the iLimb<\/a> for).<\/p>\n

By no way is this meant as a way to put down iLimb users but for a total cost of 78’000 CHF out of my own pocket (see how much is that in dollars!<\/a>) I rightfully expect the combined performance of a luxury car with all the electronics, and <\/em>a high end power tool, and <\/em>a high end computer workstation – all in one. And for the iLimb I see more like a total cost of five small electric motors, a number of cast plastic pieces and some screws. And if they sold them for 5’000 CHF I’d have gotten one on my own right now.<\/p>\n

These wooden hands here, however, sell for 25 CHF (some 1\/3120th of the iLimb cost) and so may I introduce the term adequacy<\/em>. I can and plan to use these as experimental substrates. There is no expected performance. I may wreck some material during tinkering and trying.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Mounting it<\/strong><\/p>\n

(pics… ummm… will follow)<\/p>\n

First look<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

I can type with it by extending one finger down:<\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

Problem is that the finger positions are not sturdy. So I have to adjust the hand to make fingers stay in a stable position. Also the hand is not red enough yet.<\/p>\n

Damage and death of the idea<\/strong><\/p>\n

This type of hand is widely available for cheap money but not useful because of the following points:<\/p>\n