I am a guy with a myoelectric arm

What's the most sturdy thing you could crush with your robohand but not with your "normal" hand?

I'm not sure actually, I haven't tried crushing stuff with it yet

You think you could upload a short video or gif of the hand in action? Moving the fingers and maybe picking something up?

Sure! Just give me a while.

Do we get to suggest stuff for you to try and crush?

Meh, why not.

How well does it function compared to your other arm?

All it can do is open and close, and that's just three fingers. But it's way more than double as strong as my "normal" hand.

That is crazy, how long did it take for you to get used to it and proficient with it?

Well, I'm still not completely used to it since I spent my entire life having it much more light and no hand on my left side before this. But I kind of 'mastered' it by now, I think at least.

Do you find it's easier to do things with just one hand still? Or has this second hand allowed you to do things you couldn't before?

I function much better and faster with it off, but it's great for when holding a lot of stuff at the same time.

Do you think that is a result of its limited functionality, or just a lack of practice utilizing this tool and a hand on that arm in general?

I spent my entire life having just one hand and therefore doing everything with one hand, so it's hard to break a habit after so many years.

If a sick looking Ironman/Big Boss style prosthetic was offered to you that has the exact same functionality as your current one, would you take it? Or do you prefer the more naturalistic look of your current prosthetic?

Of course. Damn, I'd take it had worse function than my current one!

Oh my god that is so cool

1) how do you control the fingers? Can you control each one separately? For example, can you give a thumbs up?

2) Has your quality of life improved with the arm? What things can you do now or are easier now compared to before getting the prosthesis? Do you do any sports/workout? How is the before/after on that?

3) if that's not too intrusive, total operation and "installation" cost? Sorry if the terminology is rude but I am neither a native speaker nor a doctor.

4) how do your acquaintances "see" you now with the arm compared to before? Have you ever been on the receiving end of a Star Wars reference?

1. I control them with two electrodes on the inside of the arm connected to my nerve system. When "flexing" my nerve on the top of my arm it opens, when "flexing" the nerve on my wrist it closes.

2. It's now easier to do workout's and join in on P.E.

3. It was completely free for me, in Sweden all these kind of stuff you get for free.

4. They've gotten used to it by now, but I'm pretty sure they think it's weird seeing a hand there. And of course I have.

http://imgur.com/a/St1gA this is similar project I work on at the VA

I think that's the exact same glove used for mine actually

Tjenare! I'm also a Swede with a myoelectric hand, cool that you got one! Is it hard getting used to at your age? I've had mine since I was around 7, so I don't really remember the learning stage. Now it just feels natural that some muscles in my arm correspond to opening/closing the hand.

Also, to just clarify about the control of the prosthesis if someone is curious. The electrodes on the skin don't literary connect to the nervous system (although they might). Instead they pick up so called myoelectric signals, potential differences produced by skeletal muscle activity. So the nerves control the muscles as usual, and the muscles in turn produce a signal that's measurable on the skin.

I'm still getting used to it, but in the beginning it was really hard and felt really unnatural and I completely forgot about using it for doing stuff. Now when I'm not wearing it I sometimes try grabbing stuff with my non-existent hand without noticing it.

Although the operation was free, do you know how much the prosthetic would cost without the healthcare. Glad to hear it was no cost to you though as the prosthetics can run up to $30k if i remember right.

It costed the state around $4k to create.

Are you sure missing your arm had nothing to do with trying to use alchemy to bring back your brother? Because I would totally try to work that into the story if it was me lol

Damn, you got me.

Don't you want to wear it without the "skin" and just have a totally badass robot arm, like Vader or Luke?

I do, sadly it looks as far from robotic as possible when dragging upp the skin.

Do you have phantom pain? I know amputees have, but no idea about natural born cyborg candidates..

I don't, no. Luckily.

How do people react to it? I would be amazed, personally.

Well, there are those people coming up to me with 15 people around just shouting "What happened to your arm?!", then there are those who just try to avoid looking at it.

How many times have friends and family made jokes about kung-fu grip or that cha-cha-cha-cha noise from Million Dollar Man?

Not a single time actually, Wow, in disappointed in them.

What has been the largest area of improvement? Have you noticed any negatives with the prosthetic?

I actually function way better and faster with it off, but it's to great help when holding a lot of stuff at the same time so I don't have to walk back and forth instead

Did kids make fun of you growing up? I know "kids made fun of" all of us. But did that stuff scar you up?

Sorry that so much of this is focused on your fashion choice and how exactly you identify. It's a cool prosthetic.

Yeah, I got really badly bullied growing up due to my little hand. Luckily I was smart enough to slap them with my nub when they did.

How hard is it to concentrate on coordinated contractions for your different grip modes. I read a few papers saying people got fatigued from concentrating so much on it. How heavy is it? Do you often get tired of the weight and just take it off? Have you thought about getting reinnervation surgery to make it more intuitive?

I actually just have one single grip mode with this one, the original open and close with three fingers. And yeah, it's really heavy and sweaty so I just take it off when it becomes too much.

Do you have the option to costumize that hand?

Can you make it just full-on robotic like the Deus Ex prostetics?

Those are really badass

They already created a Deus Ex arm.

http://imgur.com/a/GvqYO

But no, there is no option to customize my arm to make it look cyborg.

Can I try to build you a myoelectric repeating crossbow arm?

Of course

What's been the most noticeable benefit? What made you choose this type of prosthetic?

well, since I got it I haven't had to try hiding my nub, instead I just show it off with pride.

why are you wearing a dress in the last picture?

Why not?

Another Swede here. When I went to kindergarden (or whatever it's called, playtime in school and you're 5 years old or so) there was someone in group with a device like this. I was terrified of it, because in my head it was like a glove. And under it just bones. One day I asked him to take it off. And to my surprise there were no bones under it..no nothing.

Did this ever happen to you, or was I just a weird kid?

If I saw someone with an arm like this when I was 5 I would think the same, so nah. And no, I've just had 7-8 kids stalk me staring at it.

Why are you wearing a dress?

Why not?

How well does it blend with your actual skin? And was it matched to the shade of your other arm so that it wouldn't look off? Legitimate question.

It doesn't blend in too well, it's visibly darker than my actual skin tone.

Proof 2 suggests your arm is Italian. Is this the case?

It's Swedish

At least completely made in Sweden

Hey, i know it's silly but what do you think of the prosthesis "flesh color" anyway? I always reckon (if i'd need a prosthesis in the future) that i'd skip the uncanny valley and just have a black or grey one instead. What's your opinion on this? Awesome dress btw!

Sadly, when dragging the skin up it does not at all look mechanical. If I had the option I would right away go for a cyborg-looking one.

Oh wow, this is interesting. I actually have a friend who was born without her left hand due to Symbrachydactyly, but in her case she's never had a prosthetic or anything to amend the missing limb, but she's incredibly skilled at using it for what she needs for it. I hadn't even thought that some people with the same condition might want to replace their hand.

My questions:

• What made you decide to get a prosthetic arm?

• Do you ever have issues with people being assholes about your missing limb?

• What's your favorite color?

I function way better and faster with it off.

1. I've my entire life just tried very hard to hide my nub constantly, either my wearing long sleeves even on really warm days, or hide it in a pocket or under my arm. Since I got my prosthesis I just show it off with pride instead.

2. For the majority of my younger childhood I was badly bullied because of it, and I still have people sometimes completely avoiding me just because my hand looks a "little" different. But most people just forget about my missing hand.

3. Black. Or red.. Possibly purple.

OP everyone is focusing on your dress (cute as hell obviously) but more seriously how do you see this impacting your life in the future? You mentioned in another comment that you find yourself more efficient without it, do you think you will ever reach a stage where you'll look back and wonder how you managed without it?

When I'll be able to get a really badass star wars cyborg hand which can function nearly as good as my actual hand, then yes, I'll probably wonder how I could function without it. For now, nah.

Probably already asked, but I didn't see it in the first few comments: How do you operate the motion? Are there buttons, or is this thing controlled by your nervous system somehow?

There are two electrodes on the inside connected to my nerve system. When "flexing" the nerve on the top of my arm it opens, when "flexing" the one on my wrist it closes.

Can you elaborate on "connected"? Was anything done to your arm to make it adapt? Are the electrodes like what they stick on your chest for an EKG?

It just sits very tightly against my skin while having the arm on, since they're always on the inside of the arm.

Do people act weird around you when they realize it?If so, then how do you deal with it?

When they notice it most of the time they try avoiding to look at it even though it's pretty damn obvious. Then I just pat them on their head with it.

What is airport security like for you?

Awful. Last time I was going trough airport security I had to make the people behind me wait for around 5 minutes after them telling me to keep it on and analyzing it to then after 5 minutes just tell me to go back and put it on the band.

Can you elaborate on what a my electric prosthetic arm is?

I'm not too sure myself actually. That's just what they call it, but it's basically a robot arm.

What type of suspension system are you using so that the arm does not fall off, and could it survive a hand shake from Donald Trump?

Well, you mostly just drag it on like a glove. A very hard, very tight, and very sweaty glove. And I bet I would break his hand.