New AI-assisted bionic hand can see things before it grabs them - Cantech Letter

Biomedical engineers at Newcastle University in the UK have developed a prosthetic limb that can "see" objects before it grasps them and can adjust its grip depending on the size and shape of the object. Although we often talk about our limbs sometimes having a mind of their own, science has in fact made the figure of speech a reality with the creation of a new bionic hand which uses artificial intelligence and a camera fitted to the back of a prosthetic hand to manipulate objects at faster speeds than current prosthetic models. The new bionic hand uses deep learning, that branch of AI and machine learning which incorporates artificial neural networking to make decisions based on large data sets, with researchers "training" the computer vision system by inputting images of over 500 graspable objects, each one scanned from 72 perspectives. The system was programmed to classify objects based on four possible grasping motions: a two-digit pinch, a three-digit tripod, a sideways full-hand grasp (used when holding a cup, for example) and a palm-down grasp (used to pick up an apple). The system was tested with two volunteers with trans-radial (below the elbow) amputations, who after training, were able to pick up and move target objects with an 88 per cent success rate.