The Aether Battery System from Aether Biomedical powers the Zeus bionic hand from inside the socket. You make most of the important decisions before you connect a single wire: where the cells sit, where the charging port goes, and how the cable between them runs.
Get those right, and the wiring is straightforward. Get them wrong, and you may be rebuilding the socket. This guide walks through the installation in the order you'll do it, based on the current Aether Battery System Instructions for Use (version 8.0).
Only qualified personnel. The patient's job is to use the system day to day, and yours is to hand it over in a state they can manage safely. That means the patient has to understand how it works and how to keep it safe, and be able to act on that.
The system is intended for use exclusively with the Zeus hand. Before you cut anything, check the full prosthetic configuration against the Compatibility Guide that comes in the box. It takes a few minutes now, and it's much harder to put right once the socket is built.
Unpack everything and make sure it's all there. The kit contains:
It doesn't include the adhesive or insulating compound you'll need. Both are covered below.
The battery pack sets most of the layout. It is two cells joined by a 110 mm cable, and that cable needs a route that won't bend or strain it, because stress on the cable can break parts.
The charging port and connector board are both small. The connector board still needs thought, though: it's the hub that everything plugs into.
You'll need two things that aren't in the box:
Use the supplied dummy to form the opening, then mount the port. It has to go in before any electrical connection is made.
Its position matters beyond fabrication. The charging port is the only part of the system the patient touches every day. They use its button to switch on and check the charge, and its USB-C socket to charge.
Somewhere the cells can't touch the user's skin and won't be squeezed or stressed.
Think about the socket as it will be worn, not as it sits on the bench. The cells must never be bent, and continued force on them can cause unwanted chemical effects. A spot that looks clear now may not be once the patient is wearing the prosthesis and moving.
After both components are mounted and before anything is plugged in. Apply it to the 7-pin and 4-pin headers on the connector board while they're still exposed.
Every connector fits only one way. If one resists, don't push it.
Using a 6-band coaxial plug? Step 3 is the one to double-check. Power goes into the power supply input, not the accessory port.
This is your last clear view of the assembly. Check that:
Hold the button for 1.5 seconds. The four LEDs should light in sequence as the system powers on. A single press then shows the charge level, from one LED when it's under a quarter full to all four when it's full.
Then test charging with the prosthesis off the patient. Charging starts on its own, and a full charge takes up to five hours.
The one to watch for comes after installation: trying to fix a fault yourself. Cables, cells, and connectors aren't repairable in the clinic. A broken charging cable, a faulty power supply, or any other malfunction goes to the manufacturer or distributor.
Show the patient how to switch the system on, read the LEDs, and connect the charger. Then make sure they understand the rules that keep the battery safe:
Inspect the battery and wiring every few months for broken wires or connectors. The battery pack lasts up to two years or 500 charge cycles, and only qualified personnel can replace it. If a system goes unused, recharge it every six months, because the cells slowly lose charge on their own.
No. It is intended for use exclusively with the Zeus hand.
If the system is off and you press the button, six quick blinks on the last LED mean the charge is critically low.
Do not dispose of the Aether Battery System with household waste. At the end of its service life, it should be disposed of through the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) process, as set out in the Aether Battery System Instructions for Use.
Check compatibility first, then plan the socket around the cells, their cable, and a charging port the patient can use. Mount the parts before wiring anything, never force a connector, and test the system before the patient leaves.
For compatibility questions, a faulty charger, or anything else that isn't behaving as expected, contact Aether Biomedical or your distributor before the prosthesis goes back into service.