The Vanderbilt mechanical arm…it’s better, faster, stronger than all other battery-powered prosthetic limbs…
…or so say the creators.
Built for DARPA's Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 program, the arm features rocket motors. In fact, they are miniature versions of the same rocket motors the space shuttle uses to reposition itself in space. With these sweet babies, hydrogen peroxide is burned in the presence of a catalyst to produce pure steam, which is then used to move the arm.
A small canister of hydrogen peroxide jammed up the arm can last up to 18 hours and gives ya the same power and functionality of a human arm for the most part. Plus, just like a real human arm, the Vanderbilt is allowed to filter sweat up through the “skin.”
And THAT is just about the creepiest thing I’ve heard all day!
Engadget.com: Rocket powered mechanical arm might boost prosthetic
