Deka Arm Research Paper
Technology- Deka “Luke” Arm
Technology is known to be what changes the world and how we operate. Our races greatest inventions such as the wheel and guns have created our societies as we know them. If you hear a controversial topic in the media, it is highly possible that it is about guns, which were invented hundreds of years ago. The same thing goes for the wheel which was created thousands of years ago. Now, the Deka Arm is not on that level, but could positively alter the way our scientific medical professionals concoct new ideas.
The Deka Arm is a robotic arm that is used by amputees of the arm. It is a revolutionary device that allows amputees to return to normal everyday functionality. It is constructed of plastics by process of ultrasonic, …show more content…
laser, and heat welding. CNC routers also contribute to the creation of the Deka Arm. The company has even taken safety precautions to help enhance the ability of the prosthesis. This technological advancement was developed right here in the United States in 2006. (Luke Arm- Deka)
Dean Kamen was the individual who originally conceived the idea of the arm.
The Deka Research & Development Corporation, a corporation founded by Kamen himself, is who is currently developing and improving the arm. In 1976 he created the AutoSyringe, which got his foot in the door to develop more technologies in the medical science field. Other products in the field invented by Kamen include the very first wearable insulin pump for diabetics and, of course the Deka Arm. (Luke Arm- Deka)
Since the arm’s inception in 2006, there have been multiple generations of the Deka Arm. In Gen 2 the things improved upon being that it now was able to fit 3 different amputation levels and multiple test subjects to learn about the feel of the arm. Furthermore, the next arm, Gen 3 had even more improvements added to it. Those include: ten degrees of arm motion freedom, 6 pre-programmed hand grips, configurable arm lengths, and a rechargeable battery system. (Bio-Robotics)
This prosthesis has already impacted society by being a great step towards myoelectric signals for a variety of things. Myoelectric means that it uses muscle and nerve ending to control how the arm moves. Another controller of the arm is sensors in the shoes which have already gotten companies thinking about things that they can do to capitalize on that idea. Other prosthetic companies have begun to use technology like this because it is right on the cutting edge of the
field.
I predict that eventually this technology will change the world of medical science because of the way they have gone about their process. Because of the flaws of regular wear and tear on the arm people would have to buy another every 3 to 4 years. At upwards of $50,000 per prosthetic, that is too expensive for insurance companies, let alone individual people. In Deka’s process, they have tested the arm thoroughly to make sure that it will not just break the first time it is banged around hard or bumped, but after a few years all prosthetics break. Their innovation in the way that they made the arm, such as the myoelectric movement and the sensors in the shoes, are good building blocks for new better products once these things become profitable. At this point in time, the Deka Arm is not a product that can be brought to market because of wear and tear issues plus cost, but definitely is a step in the right direction to become a revolutionary scientific medical device.
Technology is known to be what changes the world and how we operate. Our races greatest inventions such as the wheel and guns have created our societies as we know them. If you hear a controversial topic in the media, it is highly possible that it is about guns, which were invented hundreds of years ago. The same thing goes for the wheel which was created thousands of years ago. Now, the Deka Arm is not on that level, but could positively alter the way our scientific medical professionals concoct new ideas.
The Deka Arm is a robotic arm that is used by amputees of the arm. It is a revolutionary device that allows amputees to return to normal everyday functionality. It is constructed of plastics by process of ultrasonic, …show more content…
laser, and heat welding. CNC routers also contribute to the creation of the Deka Arm. The company has even taken safety precautions to help enhance the ability of the prosthesis. This technological advancement was developed right here in the United States in 2006. (Luke Arm- Deka)
Dean Kamen was the individual who originally conceived the idea of the arm.
The Deka Research & Development Corporation, a corporation founded by Kamen himself, is who is currently developing and improving the arm. In 1976 he created the AutoSyringe, which got his foot in the door to develop more technologies in the medical science field. Other products in the field invented by Kamen include the very first wearable insulin pump for diabetics and, of course the Deka Arm. (Luke Arm- Deka)
Since the arm’s inception in 2006, there have been multiple generations of the Deka Arm. In Gen 2 the things improved upon being that it now was able to fit 3 different amputation levels and multiple test subjects to learn about the feel of the arm. Furthermore, the next arm, Gen 3 had even more improvements added to it. Those include: ten degrees of arm motion freedom, 6 pre-programmed hand grips, configurable arm lengths, and a rechargeable battery system. (Bio-Robotics)
This prosthesis has already impacted society by being a great step towards myoelectric signals for a variety of things. Myoelectric means that it uses muscle and nerve ending to control how the arm moves. Another controller of the arm is sensors in the shoes which have already gotten companies thinking about things that they can do to capitalize on that idea. Other prosthetic companies have begun to use technology like this because it is right on the cutting edge of the
field.
I predict that eventually this technology will change the world of medical science because of the way they have gone about their process. Because of the flaws of regular wear and tear on the arm people would have to buy another every 3 to 4 years. At upwards of $50,000 per prosthetic, that is too expensive for insurance companies, let alone individual people. In Deka’s process, they have tested the arm thoroughly to make sure that it will not just break the first time it is banged around hard or bumped, but after a few years all prosthetics break. Their innovation in the way that they made the arm, such as the myoelectric movement and the sensors in the shoes, are good building blocks for new better products once these things become profitable. At this point in time, the Deka Arm is not a product that can be brought to market because of wear and tear issues plus cost, but definitely is a step in the right direction to become a revolutionary scientific medical device.