For years researchers have strived to create a prosthetic device that duplicates the function of the human hand. Today, that pursuit has resulted in the i-Limb®, the first commercially available, fully articulating, bionic hand.
The i-LIMB® Hand is the only upper-limb prosthetic device that imitates the true movement and accuracy of the human hand. The i-LIMB® has five independently powered digits which give the fingers a lifelike action. The fingers have the ability to bend at each joint and open and close around objects. The i-LIMB® Hand is anatomically correct both when resting and in motion.
The i-LIMB® was developed using leading-edge mechanical engineering techniques and is fabricated from high-strength plastics. The result is a prosthesis that is lightweight, robust and highly appealing to both patients and healthcare professionals.
How It Works
The i-LIMB® Hand is controlled by a unique, highly intuitive control system that utilizes myoelectric technology along with self-contained, individually-powered digits.
Electrical signals in the muscles of a patient’s residual limb control the movement of the hand. Small metal electrode plates are placed against the user’s skin, one on top of the forearm and the other on the bottom. The electrodes detect the electrical signals generated by the muscles in the residual limb.
Traditional myoelectric devices offer only one grip pattern which must generate a stronger-than-human grip force at the tip, where the fingers meet, in order to successfully hold heavy or odd-shaped items.
Unlike these older devices, the i-LIMB® has the ability to articulate the fingers, or wrap around objects, and rotate the thumb, enabling the hand to create many different grips. This allows the user to grasp objects much like a real hand would and perform more complex daily tasks such as typing, dialing the phone, throwing a baseball or shaking hands.
Cosmesis
The need to provide the i-LIMB® Hand a grip surface and protection from dust and moisture requires that a cosmesis (a flexible covering for the device) be worn. Because the i-LIMB® so realistically imitates the movements of the human hand, the challenge for developers was finding materials that could move and flex in the same way as the human skin. Ultimately, two options were designed, both aesthetically pleasing, and both near lifelike. Patients that love the robotic nature of the uncovered i-LIMB® can wear a semi-transparent glove. For those who prefer their device to blend with their skin tones, a life-like covering is available.
Easy Care and Maintenance
The i-LIMB® is constructed of durable plastic and componentry that can withstand the activities of everyday life. Currently, the hand is not waterproof and appropriate precautions should be taken.
The modular construction of the i-LIMB® Hand means that each individually powered finger can be quickly removed by simply removing one screw. This means that a prosthetist can easily swap out fingers that require servicing and patients can return to their everyday lives after a short clinic visit. Traditional devices would have to be returned to the manufacturer, often leaving the patient without a hand for many weeks.
For More Information and Consultation
Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics is proud to be one of the first to bring upper-extremity patients the i-LIMB® Hand. For more information or consultation contact Hanger at 800-642-662 or 
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