FDA Approves Prosthetic Arm Funded by DARPA

The DEKA Arm System was designed to help military veterans who lost their lower arms in battle. The new prosthetic arm enables users to utilize certain muscles in order to perform difficult tasks that they otherwise could not.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded the DEKA project. DEKA's founder and CEO, Dean Kamen, is an inventor and entrepreneur with a passion for science and technology. He founded the company to develop internally generated inventions as well as provide research and development for major corporate clients, the DEKA website reads.

The arm system, nicknamed the "Luke" arm (after Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, was tested on 36 military veterans who lost their lower arms. Their results were tremendous, as 90% of the veterans were able to perform tasks they're unable to with their current arm prosthetic.

"This innovative prosthesis provides a new option for people with certain kinds of arm amputations," said Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA, in this Yahoo! News article. "The DEKA Arm System may allow some people to perform more complex tasks than they can with current prostheses in a way that more closely resembles the natural motion of the arm."

The arm solely gives users the ability to perform tasks. It cannot allow the wearer to feel any sensation, as research has shown could be possible. Nonetheless, this arm system is likely to improve those with arm amputations. The system is controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes. The EMG's possess the ability to detect muscle contraction close to where the robotic arm is attached.

DEKA worked with prosthetists from Next Step Orthotics and Prosthetics as well as Biodesigns, Inc. on the arm system. A panel of FDA regulators approved the DEKA arm system for market on Friday. New tasks that amputees could perform with the DEKA product include using keys and locks, making food, feeding themselves, using zippers, and brushing their hair.

Hopefully the DEKA arm system reaches the market as soon as possible to help war veterans who suffer from being unable to perform everyday tasks.