DEKA Arm- A Revolution In Prosthetics

Ever thought of a device that can sense and respond according to the movement of your muscles? Well, that is not part of the future anymore because it has reached the hands of consumers already. So what is this DEKA arm? What makes it different from other prosthetic limbs? So, DEKA arm is basically a prosthetic limb that senses the movements of the muscles in your arm and responds according to that muscle movement. But before we get into the technical aspects of the product we shall talk about the creators first, as our knowledge of their mission will let us better understand the motive behind this product.

The DEKA arm was created by the inventor of the esteemed Segway, Mr. Dean Kamen. Their mission was to reinvent the conventional prosthetic limb and provide the patient with a much better experience compared to a conventional prosthetic limb. As, they stayed true to their mission and continued the search for a more conditioned product, the US army and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) provided them with funding in 2006 which truly kick-started the project. The US army wanted to provide incoming amputated Iraq war veterans a more tolerable experience compared to those offered by other prosthetic limbs. However, the largest breakthrough for this product was when FDA approved it for public purchase in May 2014. Finally, after years of research and feedback that was received from veterans, this product could finally go to the hands of the majority.

Definitely, this product was given a lot of thought and care but now it is time to look at the results of the hard work. The DEKA arm is a battery powered and a myoelectric device. A myoelectric device has electrodes that track muscle movement and respond accordingly in a more conventional human motor form of movement. In more simple words, the human muscle always produces electrical signals during movement, this device monitors those signals and moves accordingly. This allows for a more intuitive and tolerable experience compared to conventional prosthetic limbs that function based on a cross body pulley system which can be difficult to get used to. You can basically infer that this device can be controlled from your mind. All this sounds really good, although one of the most amazing features of this product is that it can transmit sensation back to the user which includes feelings of touch, heat, and cold. This is what truly makes this product stand out against its opponents, which offer a more blunt experience. Another element where this product excels in is how it effortlessly works with a method called targeted muscle re-innervation. Basically, amputees who have a part of their arm left usually have trouble controlling the muscles because of the damaged nerves. So, this method transplants nerves into functioning muscle, then when the user wants to move his arm the nerves still fire up and the electrodes sense the muscle movement and carry out the appropriate movement. This, therefore, segments this product to all sorts of amputees for those who have part of their arm left and those who have none left. Please take a look at the figure below to attain a

better idea of this product.

After years of research and testing, the FDA finally approved it for public use. However, the product is extremely expensive as it has a 100,000 dollar price tag attached to it. Although, when we put the cost aside and focus on the amount of innovation present, it truly goes above and beyond the price tag. Also, we shall remember that equal credit should be given to the sponsors as well. Without the support of the US army and DARPA, this project would have taken way more time to reach the hands of consumers and the veterans who sacrificed their personal happiness and physical well-being for our safety. There is no doubt that this is a case where science has been employed for good.

Extra Information