BrainCo, Boston, a company incubated in the Harvard Innovation Lab, is developing a smart prosthesis that is capable of better dexterity at a lower cost than any currently available prosthetic hand. The company’s goal is to deliver the device for $10,000-$15,000.
The prosthesis is controlled by the muscle signals detected from the user’s residual limb. When the hand’s algorithm detects the user’s intention, the prosthesis mirrors the movement. The device can be programmed to execute different gestures and has an intuitive mode where the algorithm will start to learn from the user and move naturally, interpreting signals in real time without the use of predefined gestures.
The company is in the process of gaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and anticipates having the prosthetic hand available in the U.S. market in 2020.