Singapore students create movable artificial thumb

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Singapore students create movable artificial thumb

SINGAPORE, Dec 06 (Reuters) - Singapore students have created a

battery-free artificial thumb that may give renewed hopes of flexibility

to people missing a thumb due to an accident or birth defect.

The device, called Mimic, is a small, lightweight aluminum gadget that

straps onto the back of the hand and wraps round the index finger to

hold a moveable metal thumb in place.

" The thumb mimics the forefinger. So when the forefinger moves, the

thumb will move, " Lim, project leader for the team of eight

mechanical and production engineering students from the Nanyang

Technological University, told Reuters on Thursday.

Two small pulleys and a fine steel cable keep the forefinger's movements

in synch with the metal thumb and allow a person to write and even pick

up small objects.

" If you lost just one thumb, the only other alternative will be to get a

prosthetic non-movable thumb in Singapore or to take off your toe and

replace it, " Lim said on the sidelines of the University's Innovation

competition.

" It's not really much of an alternative. "

Other devices, such as prosthetics to replace a whole hand, are

available but must be wired up to the arm muscles to move.

The students, who spent 5 weeks working on the project, plan to patent

Mimic in the United States.

The prototype cost just $54.53, but each piece will have to be

custom-made to fit the wearer's hand, Lim said.

The team is currently in discussion with Singapore's National University

Hospital to test the device on patients.