Hope this idea works for someone

[hay]

Hi, All,

When I came back from Nam in 72, I sat down and drew a sketch for a
hand/forearm unit that would work on the basis of the action observed
when you reel a sinker against the tip eye of a light fishing pole,
and watch the pole bend in the direction of the outer lip of the eyes.

My picture was to have a light weight motor with a screw thread on the
end of the shaft, and the lines, which would be attached inside hollow
tube fingers that are jointed and spring loaded, with guides inside at
each "knuckle" would attach to the corresponding pinnion that would
travel on this screw thread.

I envisioned a pad that would pick up nerve impulse from the stump and
activate the motor.

Be damned ! I saw the pad on a program about prosthetic legs a few
years ago !

Since I know that it exists, Maybe someone can use this idea.

It's not really high-tech like the thoughts on hydraulics or such, but
get a light fishing pole and try the experiment to see how it would
work. Just picture the pole bending at joints located at each eye of
the pole.

I really don't know what kind of torque might be needed to grip tight
enough to, say, hold a hammer and drive a nail, but it seems to me
that the primary fingers, ( index and middle ) and the thumb would be
able to be adjusted to the point a person could "three-point pick",
or, have the thumb overlap as when you double your fist.

This could be adjusted by tensioning the lines to individual fingers.

I'll stop here, rather than get too long winded.

If it all rings any bells, post back, and lets see what happens.

hay

[Daniel]

Hay:

I think you might be a little late because that is exactly how the
iLimb works. I got to see how it works at a show (AOPA it think?)
last March.

Although now that you mention it a three finger version might be more
functional than the iLimb's five fingered hand.