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Hand prostheses

Michelangelo hand prosthesis

It’s much easier to recognise a prosthesis as part of yourself when natural motion patterns are possible and the design is just right. Both of these factors were paramount for Ottobock during the development of the Michelangelo hand prosthesis. Muscle signals from the residual arm control two drives: the main drive for the gripping movement and gripping force and a separate thumb drive – this enables seven different hand positions.

The thumb, index finger and middle finger are controlled actively, while the ring finger and little finger passively follow the movements. Thanks to this functionality, the Michelangelo enables gripping movements that every person uses again and again in their work as well as their free time. These include, for example, gripping a glass from the side, holding flat objects such as paper, supporting a plate on your open hand or clasping a pen.

A mechanical wrist joint supports the movements. The joint can be flexed and extended as well as rotated inwards and outwards, and it also mimics the natural behaviour of a relaxed wrist.

Natural appearance

For the product designers, making the appearance and feel of the Michelangelo hand resemble a natural hand as closely as possible posed a special challenge. The fingers are made from hard and soft materials, thus imitating the natural hand in detail. Matching, durable prosthetic gloves available in six different tones are constructed in layers. Coloured fibres inside imitate the natural vein structure of the human hand. For those who wish to show off their modern arm prosthesis, a transparent and a black prosthetic glove are available as well.

Abbildung eines Handschlages von zwei weißen Prothesenhänden.

bebionic hand prosthesis

The bebionic hand is also revolutionising the lives and abilities of amputees around the world. Its strength lies in its broad range of grip patterns. Thanks to a selection of 14 grip patterns and hand positions, the multi-articulated hand is the perfect match for the day-to-day challenges of the digital world of work. Among other things, prosthesis users can extend their index finger to use the keyboard of a PC or laptop as well as the keypad on a phone.

The hook grip also makes everyday life considerably easier: This hand position can be used to carry briefcases, handbags or even heavy shopping. The bebionic hand automatically senses when a gripped item begins to slip from the hand. In this case, the auto grip function adjusts the grip accordingly so the object does not fall.

For delicate gripping

Individual motors in each finger allow the hand to move and grip in a natural, coordinated way. The motors are positioned to optimise weight distribution. This makes the hand lighter and more comfortable to wear. Thanks to the proportional speed control feature, the prosthesis user can even manage tasks requiring a high level of precision, such as holding an egg or polystyrene cup. The bebionic hand is available in three different sizes. In combination with the new Myo Plus prosthesis control with pattern recognition, users can fully exploit the potential of the bionic hand for the first time.