It looks a bit like something out of a Marvel Superheroes film, but then again, where’s the joy in conformity.

This eye catching design for a prosthetic limb comes from Kaylene Kau, a Postgraduate student of product design in Washington. On a personalised online page showcasing her design portfolio, she explains;

‘For this project we were pushed by our Professor to push the boundaries of current upper-limb prosthetic design. Through extensive research I found that the prosthetic functioned as an assistant to the dominant functioning hand. The prosthetic needed to be both flexible and adjustable in order to accommodate a variety of different grips.’ - Courtesy of Coroflot

Define a prosthetic limb

Whenever we talk about design for prosthetic hands, it is always assumed that they must replicate as closely as possible the appearance and movement of a human hand made of flesh and bone; but then again, why?

The ideal remedy for the loss of a limb is usually regarded by most as the creation of as sophisticated a substitute as science will allow; but this is not necessarily the case. Quadruple amputee and mountaineer Jamie Andrew expresses this opinion on bespoken: ‘I’m not interested in what I could do in the past but what I can do in the future’.

So why get a hand when actually, your imagination can run wild and (provided it offers suitable functionality) a prosthetic could adopt almost any form.

In previous interviews, Kaylene has stated that the tentacle arm (which incidentally is not a name she ever envisaged for her design) is intended to act as a supplement or support for the dominant arm.

“If you have a hand that is functioning well, that becomes the hand you do all your fine motor skills with, like writing and those detail-oriented things. The prosthesis just acts as an assistant to the dominant hand,” she said. “I wanted to focus on that.” - Kaylene Kau speaking to healio.com

Granted this particular one is probably not for everyone. But for the artistically minded, the lovers of innovative design and the Tim Burton enthusiasts out there, this prosthetic offers an exciting alternative to every other prosthetic limb out there.

It incorporates a motor that is connected with two wires on the inside of the arm. Push one button and it will tense one wire and loosen the other. Push the other button and vice versa happens, enabling the wearer to coil and uncoil the prosthetic at will creating the grabbing and gripping motion necessary to pick up items.

Style over substance?

The prosthetic undeniably looks terrific, and it certainly seems like it would be suitable for some things but even the casual observer cannot help but be a little cynical about the extent of its functionality. And although the design is not intended to exactly replace the human arm, what happens when the wearer encounters those tasks that require two hands? Once the novelty wears off, would this prosthetic really be ideal?

Pop a comment down below; let us know what you think.

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