Handmade: a bionic brush that allows you to snap your fingers has been created in the Russian Federation

Bionic prostheses are rapidly approaching the natural capabilities of the human hand. On August 27, in the Skolkovo technology cluster, specialists installed a new—generation bionic brush for the first user, which is capable of performing almost all functions with natural speed - clenching a fist, picking up an object, and even snapping fingers. The Izvestia correspondent saw with his own eyes the first setup and testing of advanced domestic developments. According to experts, the characteristics of the new device are encouraging, but how much real benefit they will bring to the owners of the prosthesis will become clear only after prolonged use.

A new generation brush

Yuri Shikin is 47 years old. In his youth, he was interested in creating pyrotechnics, and one day an explosion damaged his hand so much that it had to be amputated. After more than a quarter of a century, he became the first owner of a new generation bionic brush. After installing the prosthesis, Yuri greets me, and I feel a fairly rigid and dense mechanism, but my fingers spring and adjust to the position of my hand. Externally, the movement resembles the work of an ordinary brush, although the mechanical nature of the design is still felt when touched.

The presentation of the capabilities of the new Manifesto Hand 3.0 prosthesis took place on August 27 at the Skolkovo technology cluster. During the demonstration, the brush quickly changes the position of the fingers, responding to Yuri's silent commands. Movement that requires simultaneous operation of several elements is particularly significant: the prosthesis is capable of snapping fingers, and movement occurs without a delay noticeable to the observer.

One of the main features of the development is the gripping speed — up to 300 mm/s. This is the speed with which a person performs routine actions in everyday life — taking a cup, buttoning buttons. According to this indicator, the Russian development is comparable to the American Ability Hand prosthesis, which is one of the fastest multi-grip bionic solutions. At the same time, the Russian brush is designed for heavy load: each finger is able to withstand up to 20 kg against 15 kg of its American counterpart.

— For the user, speed is not just a number in the characteristics. It is important how quickly the device understands the command and turns it into movement. The shorter the delay, the more naturally a person interacts with the prosthesis," Ruslan Babintsev, executive director of the Motorika company, which developed the prosthesis, told Izvestia.

According to him, when creating a new version of the product, the specialists focused on speed, reliability and ease of operation. By installing a bionic brush for the first regular user, specialists will be able to check how well its technical characteristics meet the real needs of a person. Although the prosthesis has already passed some debugging. His first tester was Maxim Pomyatikhin, a test pilot of bionic prostheses — he tries them in everyday life and then shares his impressions with the developers.

Yuri Shikin is the first regular user of the prosthesis.

"I'm just getting used to it, but I already understand how convenient it is," he told Izvestia. — Previously, in order to do many simple things, I had to ask for help, but now I can do them myself, and even with such speed. The specialists of Motorika explained everything in great detail and supported us at every stage.

During the first installation, the developers adjust the sensors for a specific person and check various grip options. Then the user learns to control their fingers on their own and gradually moves on to more complex movements. In particular, experts are checking the ability to perform gestures that require simultaneous operation of several fingers.

The combination of speed and strength allows the prosthesis to be used not only for performing basic household activities. The adaptive grip adjusts to the shape of the object. The spring-loaded design reduces the risk of damage to the mechanism during impact loads. The brush has received protection from dust and moisture, which allows it to be used, including during outdoor activities.

Another feature is the autonomy of management. The user does not need to constantly access the smartphone: the built-in OLED screen displays the charge, there you can also adjust the sensitivity of the sensors and switch the operating mode.

— Our task is not just to issue a product, but to restore a person's independence. A device is a tool, and the result we are working for is that a person can be active, free and confident in everyday life again," Ruslan Babintsev emphasized.

According to him, it is important not only to get high performance at the stand, but also to ensure that the user can quickly master the device, perform normal actions with it and use it every day.

Through life with a cyber guitar

The production of the new brush is planned to be organized in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ. The development is designed for people with an active lifestyle who will use it constantly.

— I'm a guitarist, and I had a case when I came to an audition for a band, played with them, and it took them half an hour to realize that I was missing fingers, — said Maxim Yemets, owner of a bionic prosthesis of the previous generation.

He played guitar for 30 years, but then got injured, lost several fingers. He learned how to play again using the remaining ones, and later received a bionic brush and began to master a new technique. Gradually, the prosthesis became not just a technical device, but a part of the musical image and opened up new ways of playing — Maxim even calls himself a cybergitarist. He expects to receive a new model in order to improve his skills.

The first installation of a brush for a person should show how the claimed speed of 300 mm/s and increased load capacity change the daily interaction of a person with a prosthesis. If the brush really allows you to perform fast and complex movements without noticeable delay, this can be one of the significant steps in the development of domestic bionic prostheses.

However, as Kirill Nabokov, an expert in the field of technology, emphasized, any record performance of the prosthesis must be evaluated in the context of real-world use scenarios. You can make a very fast mechanism, but if it is difficult for the user to control it or the movement is not precise enough, high speed will not give a noticeable advantage in everyday life. Therefore, the key test of the new brush will be long-term operation: how quickly a person adapts to it, how naturally it executes commands, and whether it retains its stated characteristics after months of use.