Robotic engineers have been lending their expertise to the field of prosthetic limbs for quite some time now, and the new innovations are getting more and more impressive. Touch Bionics, a company specializing in upper-limb bionic technology (check out our post on their i-LIMB Hand product) recently released a new device called ProDigits, which can help replace a patient’s missing fingers.

The robotic digits feel natural and require no special surgery for attachment, which is a big benefit. They can be controlled either from a touchpad, or with myoelectric sensors that detect muscle signals from the remnants of the fingers, which activate the movements. Furthermore, the prosthetic hands can be customized to meet every individual’s specific needs. Doctors, for example, can tweak the device over Bluetooth to adjust the finer motor functions for every patient.

At a price range around $57,000 to $73,000, these robotic limbs are still quite expensive, but in some countries there are plans to make them available through health insurance. Whatever the cost, however, for many people they will surely be worth it. They equip patients with the ability to grasp on to and hold objects again, and do so securely, because they have the function to detect when the person has closed his fingers onto something.

In the video below, the patients selected to try out the ProDigits device accomplish tasks that many take for granted, such as folding clothes, drinking a cup of coffee and typing on a computer. In terms of design, they are not too abnormal, and can come in different skins, including one natural-looking “livingskin”. While the movements of the fingers do not seem perfectly flawless, they are a huge improvement on others of their kind. Most of all, they genuinely look like they can improve the lives of many people. Also, don't forget the also very cool and DARPA-sponsored Luke-Arm which is also undergoing clinical trials.