Claudia Mitchell, 26, lost her left arm some time ago from a motorcycle accident. It is a painful experience as she describes how it changed her life, such as having to overcome something as simple as peeling a banana.
Now, her life is getting a dramatic change again, but for the better. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has funded the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago with $50 million and created for Mitchell a “bionic” arm. The arm, wired to her chest muscles’ nerves, is able to react to the muscles’ movement and move like her now-missing limb.
Mitchell can now peel a banana with ease by simply willing her bionic arm to hold the banana. Although she is not the first person to receive a bionic arm, she is very first woman in the world to be granted one.
Right now, Mitchell is preparing for the next “upgrade” of her arm, which adds the ability to “feel”. By wiring to her skin above her left breast, her arm would be able to send signals of “touches” to her brain.
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