A “Third Thumb” can improve people’s manual dexterity The robotic thumb straps under a person’s pinky, adding an extra thumb to their dominant hand About 98% of test subjects quickly picked up how to use the extra thumb, researchers report THURSDAY, May 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A “Third Thumb” -- a robotic, prosthetic extra thumb -- is easy to use and can help folks grab and tote more objects, a new study says. Hundreds of diverse test subjects at a science exhibition were able to figure out the extra thumb quickly and use it to pick up things like pegs and foam objects, researchers reported May 29 in the journal . “Technology is changing our very definition of what it means to be human, with machines increasingly becoming a part of our everyday lives, and even our minds and bodies,” said researcher , a professor with the University of Cambridge’s Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit.
An emerging area of technology is motor augmentation – using wearable devices like extra body parts to upgrade human motor capabilities beyond their current limits, researchers said. The Third Thumb is worn up just under the pinky finger and held in place by a wrist strap. It’s operated by pressure sensors under the big toe of each foot, researchers explained.
The right toe pulls the thumb across the hand in a gripping motion, while the left toe pulls the thumb up firmly against the natural fingers. The gadget is aimed at increasing the wearer’s .
