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Researchers develop new breath-driven concept set to transform access to hand prosthetics

The new air-powered hand provides a lightweight, low-maintenance and easy-to-use body-powered prosthetic option particularly well suited for children and those in low and middle-income countries.

User testing of the new breathing-powered prosthetic hand © Mobility India

A revolutionary new hand prosthesis powered and controlled by the user’s breathing has been developed by researchers at the University of Oxford. 

The simple lightweight device offers an alternative to Bowden cable-driven body-powered prosthetics initially developed in the early 19th century – particularly for those too young or anatomically unsuited to an uncomfortable harness and cable system.

Senior author Professor Jeroen Bergmann, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford said: ‘Our breathing-powered device provides a novel prosthetic option that can be used without limiting any of the user’s body movements. It is one of the first truly new design approaches for power and control of a body-powered prosthetic since the emergence of the cable-driven system over two centuries ago.’

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website

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