Engineers at the University of Utah have developed a groundbreaking bionic hand that incorporates artificial intelligence to assist amputees in controlling movements more intuitively. Traditional prosthetic hands often require high levels of cognitive effort, which leads an estimated 20% to 50% of users to abandon them over time. The new system addresses this challenge by combining advanced sensors with AI to make operation more seamless and natural.
Marshall Trout, a post-doctoral researcher, and Professor Jacob George, director of the Utah Neurorobotics Lab, modified a commercially available bionic hand by integrating optical and touch sensors. These sensors allow the hand to automatically move its fingers toward objects, stopping precisely at the point of contact. The system also interprets electrical signals from the wearer’s muscles, enabling the AI to regulate the strength of the grasp, effectively providing a “cognitive assist.”
Professor George explained that the technology allows the human user to focus on the intention of movement, while the AI handles the finer details of positioning and force control. This reduces mental strain and allows amputees to manipulate objects more accurately and with greater dexterity.
One of the amputees who tested the system, Sam Matagi, who lost both hands in a power line accident, described the experience as having an assistant inside his arm, akin to a crane operator managing precise movements. Users reported improved agility and fewer errors while handling objects compared to conventional prosthetics.
The University of Utah team anticipates that the AI-assisted prosthetic could reach the market within the next five years, with sensors and intelligent control systems becoming standard features in prosthetics over the next five to ten years. This development marks a significant step toward making prosthetic limbs more functional, user-friendly, and accessible for amputees worldwide.
