By Berk Kutay Gokmen
ISTANBUL (AA) - A Chinese research team has unveiled a highly advanced biomimetic prosthetic hand that closely mimics the functionality of a human hand, Xinhua News reported Sunday.
The prosthetic hand can perform a variety of tasks including combing hair, using smartphones and even executing complex sign language gestures.
Developed by the University of Science and Technology of China, it is lighter and more dexterous than traditional models, marking a major leap in the field of prosthetics.
It is constructed with shape memory alloys, a tendon-like transmission system and is not only lightweight but also more powerful than conventional prosthetic hands.
The design allows the hand to replicate 33 standard human grasping modes plus six more complex actions such as writing, using scissors, playing chess and operating a smartphone.
In clinical trials, a 60-year-old amputee was able to master the device in under half a day, successfully completing tests that assess upper extremity motor skills.
The prosthetic also includes voice recognition technology that supports 60 languages and 20 dialects, achieving 95% accuracy with millisecond-level response times—setting it apart from traditional prosthetics.