Development of the Utah Artificial Arm

The development of a practical multifunction, electronically controlled artificial arm is an extremely complex undertaking. Various technical factors such as the limited capability of man-made components, together with problems in the development of adequate control systems, impair the ultimate performance of any prosthesis. Also, nontechnical problems in clinical, marketing, and economic areas strongly influence the potential success of any system. Consequently, the realization of a practical system with the possibility of near-term application requires simultaneous and coordinated work by personnel in a number of normally unrelated areas of medicine and engineering. The opinions of engineers, physicians, amputees, industrial entities, and institutions responsible for funding the fitting of artificial limnbs must be understood and must influence the design process. This paper begins with a discussion of the natural limb and those design objectives and compromises which govern the development of its artificial counterpart Specific details of the Utah Arm are then reviewed, along with general comments regarding the area of prosthetic limb research and application.