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posted by janrinok on Friday August 14 2015, @07:49PM   Printer-friendly
from the ouch-my-arm-is-melting dept.

One problem that prostheses present is that by lacking sensitivity, they can become damaged when exposed to objects emitting high temperatures and consequently burn the user. To avoid this, the Protesa group was given the task of designing sensors to warn prosthesis users of heat excess.

These sensors are mostly made of recyclable PET [polyethylene terephalate] material, making them lighter, but with the ability to lift up to eight kilograms, said Carlos Perez Roque, project leader and student of Engineering Mechatronics at the Technological University of Mexico (UNITEC).

"The temperature is calibrated to the human body, 35 degrees centigrade, to prevent a burn on the stump if that amount is exceeded. The sensors distributed in the hand, stump and arm of the prosthesis are connected to a device, which communicates through vibrations," he added.

When the prosthesis detects heat, it transforms thermal energy into electricity and activates the vibration motor located on the stump. Then the hand closes automatically as a protective reflex to prevent a burn.

Current sensors are 30 mm in length, and the design requires placing 15 in the hand, and another 25 along the arm to give full heat sensitivity to the prosthesis. Moreover, the price of the prosthesis ranges from 2,000 dollars just for hand and wrist to 2,500 for the entire limb.

For now, Perez Roque said, there are four prototypes that have undergone quality tests using a special bracelet placed on the arm for mobility and sensitivity of the prosthesis to be evaluated.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 14 2015, @09:06PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 14 2015, @09:06PM (#223009)

    "Prosthesis" is singular and doesn't match "are".

    -- gewg_

  • (Score: 2) by jimshatt on Friday August 14 2015, @09:26PM

    by jimshatt (978) on Friday August 14 2015, @09:26PM (#223015) Journal
    Yep, should be prostheses. It's odd that the word starts with "pros" instead of "pro" like in a lot of other languages.
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by wonkey_monkey on Friday August 14 2015, @10:41PM

      by wonkey_monkey (279) on Friday August 14 2015, @10:41PM (#223040) Homepage

      It's odd that the word starts with "pros" instead of "pro"

      Instead of? It starts with "pros" and it starts with "pro."

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk
      • (Score: 2) by jimshatt on Sunday August 16 2015, @07:42PM

        by jimshatt (978) on Sunday August 16 2015, @07:42PM (#223599) Journal
        Yes :). I meant that a lot of language's don't have the 's' after 'pro' in prosthesis. E.g. prothese, protese, etc. I'm not saying that that's more correct or anything.