Armenian company Hi.BIONIC.HAND is working on a bionic prosthetic arm. It already has a prototype, which needs to be improved to get a production model.

Company manager Ashot Hovsepyan told NEWS.am Medicine correspondent that the working principle of the bionic prosthesis is as follows: Special sensors read the electrical impulses of the muscles that remain after the amputation of the hand. The signal is transmitted to the bionic arm, which can bend and unbend all fingers, make grasping movements and perform rotary movements in the wrist.

Specialist physician Ashot Hovsepyan explained that they plan to create a more advanced prosthetic model with a surgically implanted chip that will read signals directly from nerves.  In this case, he said, the control of the prosthesis would be more precise. Plus, with the help of sensors on the fingers, the hand could be taught to touch, and it would send signals to the brain about what type of material to touch, what temperature, etc

The Hi.BIONIC.HAND team received a small grant from the Ministry of High Technology Industry's From Idea to Business, but investor involvement is needed to continue the work.   

The bionic arm was shown at the Healthcare and Pharmacy exhibition on October 28-30.