Current Limitations with Bionic Hands
Bionic hands are an innovative solution to prosthetic limbs. As opposed to passive prostheses, bionic hands provide users with an enhanced level of dexterity, strength, and flexibility. As a result, users have more capabilities in terms of movement and activities. For this reason, thousands of prosthetic users choose to utilize bionic hands.
That being said, no prosthesis is perfect, and that includes bionic hands. We at Aether recognized the limitations that many bionic hands have and made it our mission to overcome them with the Zeus. For users interested in a bionic hand like no other, continue reading to learn how the Zeus stands out from the rest.
Limitations
1. Grips Not Strong Enough
As multi-articulating myoelectric hands are advancing with increased DOF and grip patterns, patients are finding that the grips are still not strong enough for their heavy-duty activities. Whether users are looking to lift heavy objects or even simply support their own body weight, many bionic hands fail to fulfill these needs.
The Zeus hand solves this problem by having the strongest grip force in the marketplace (152N) while also having the option for a soft grip. One can go to the gym and lift weights, and go home and switch to a soft grift around children and pets. No matter the activity or circumstance, the Zeus provides users with the strength they need to lift heavy objects with confidence and lighten their grip for more delicate tasks.
2. Serviceability
When a patient's bionic hand breaks, there are few options available. Most options require the hand to be sent back to the manufacturer, who will then send a loaner to be put on the patient. This will require extra appointments for the patient and clinician to reinstate the hand settings and fit the temporary device. Between repairs and shipping times, patients could be left without their hand for weeks or even months. During this time, patients either have to go without a hand entirely or use a subpar loaner.
Fortunately, the Zeus hand is completely serviceable in-house. The Zeus hand comes in a kit with extra fingers and can be replaced within minutes, so there is no need for hand settings to be reinstated on a loaner. Instead, patients can walk away from the clinic with their own hand that has been repaired, rather than a loaner. As such, patients can have their hand back in top shape in no time, ensuring they get back to their daily routine.
3. Lengthy Maintenance Times
As with most myoelectric hands, scheduled maintenance should be performed by either the clinician or the manufacturer. These maintenance repairs are required for the warranty and overall health and operation of the hand. This can be a cumbersome experience for some, especially for the hands that must be sent back to the manufacturer for routine maintenance. Should this be the case, it will require multiple appointments to the prosthetist's office, as well as the requirement of a loaner unit and the need to transfer the setting to the loaner.
While the Zeus hand does require a 6-month warranty to keep the hand within warranty and prolong the life of the hand, the required maintenance is not labor-intensive and field serviceable in the clinic. Instead, maintenance on the Zeus simply requires the replacement of the torsion springs in the finger and can be done fully in-house by the clinician. As such, patients can get their hand back in full condition within minutes - not months.
4. Lacks Impact Resistance
Impact resistance is a critical feature of the bionic hand, allowing it to avoid damage to the hand’s components in the event that the hand hits an object or falls unintentionally. If a hand was damaged easily, this would require frequent repairs and numerous cases of a user left without their hand. As we know that repairs on traditional bionic hands can take months, hands without high impact resistance pose a major inconvenience to users.
Though some bionic hands in the market have impact resistance, the Zeus’ unique, patent-pending, impact resistance mechanism allows the fingers to flex when faced with impact. As a result, they are protected from easy breakage and able to withstand unfavorable conditions such as daily bumps and thumps. Furthermore, as this compliance mechanism does not involve a breakaway part, it also eliminates the need to send the hand to repair so frequently in case of impact. That, combined with our modular design and localized serviceability option, makes the Zeus a perfect solution.
5. Lacks Customization
Bionic hands typically have certain standard grip modes that can help the majority of the population with most of their general day-to-day activities. Still, everyone is unique and has different requirements according to either their profession, passion, or personal preference. As such, users often want to customize their hand to these needs, ensuring that they can continue doing what they enjoy. But, as most bionic hands do not offer such customization, they fail to meet all users' needs.
That's where the Zeus is different from the crowd. In addition to providing a range of standard grip options, the Zeus has a unique feature where you can customize your own grip patterns as well as grip sequences as per your needs. Though there are some physical and technical limitations, this offers much more customization than market alternatives, where you either remain uninformed regarding the choices or are bombarded with useless ones.
6. Lack of Intuitive Control
The lack of intuitive control of the upper extremity prosthetics has always been a challenge. As technology advances, so do the control features. A dual-site sequential control feature is currently the most common form of control strategy. Other advancements with pattern recognition allow an increase in intuitiveness for the user.
The Zeus operates using a dual-control feature, while also having the capability to transition smoothly between grips, providing users with an intuitive restoration of function.
A Hand Like No Other
Through the development of the Zeus, we have created a bionic arm solution for users, addressing the needs that other hands cannot. With the Zeus, users can achieve greater strength and control than other bionic hands, while also saving users time with local repairability and high impact resistance.
A bionic hand should be an extension of your body - not just an accessory. This is why we believe it is so important that users do not have to compromise when it comes to their hand. With the Zeus, users no longer have to. Instead, they can simply find the one device that meets all of their needs - with no limitations.
If you're interested in learning more about the Zeus, visit our website.
