Following the breakthroughs in robotic prosthetics @roboweek #NationalRoboticsWeek #RoboWeek #MakeRobotFriend
Historically prosthetics have not been robotic (makes sense considering the earliest examples of prosthestics are over 3000 years old), but the field has been revolutionized in recent years! 60 Minutes presents astounding breakthroughs in prosthetics limb technology allowing for feeling and increased control. CBS News
“That’s my fingers,” Prestwood told Pelley. “I am feeling my fingers that I don’t have anymore. I’m feeling them.”
Scott Imbrie, a volunteer for a project at the University of Chicago, had his movement and sense of touch limited by a spinal injury from a car accident. Now, the ports in his skull communicate his brain’s intention to a robot arm. The sensors in the robot hand then send the feeling of touch back into his brain.
Computer ports in Scott Imbrie’s skull are wired to the motor and sensory parts of his brain
But today’s technology may offer the greatest independence through no prosthetic at all.
Austin Beggin became quadriplegic after diving into a submerged sandbar while on vacation to celebrate his college graduation. Like Imbrie, he has ports in his skull that connect to his brain.
But unlike Imbrie, the signals for motor control go not to a robot arm, but to his own arm. Sensors inside his arm fire his muscles, bypassing his damaged spine. This allows Beggin to do something that he had not been able to do in years—shake his father’s hand.
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is just shake someone’s hand and just tell them, you know, ‘Hi.’ Just simple hi,” Beggin said. “But getting that opportunity to do it with my dad, it was, like, saying, ‘Thank you for the last eight years of sticking this out with me.'””
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: CircuitPython 2025 Wraps, Focus on Using Python, Open Source and More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
