Newly-designed prosthetic arm connects directly to residual limb

US engineers have developed a new form of prosthetic technology that can be applied directly to the residual limb, offering considerable advantages over existing options.

Created by the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, the new prosthetic eliminates the need for a socket, which is the part that traditionally attaches to the body. These can cause problems with comfort, chafing, sores and blisters.

With this new process, a procedure called osseointegration is used to implant a custom-made compressive device called Compress into the marrow space of the bone of the residual limb, inducing a biological response from the bone to create a strong, long-lasting connection.

In the second stage, an adapter brought through the skin was connected to the Compress implant on the bone side, enabling a direct connection to the external prosthesis.

With this technology, patients can benefit from a greater range of motion and improved comfort, including individual finger control and several different types of grasp.

Michael McLoughlin, chief engineer at the Applied Physics Laboratory's research and exploratory development department, said: "The challenge for us next is to really figure out how to get this technology out of the laboratory and into the hands of people who need it."