Ukrainian startup Esper Hand prosthetic robotic arm is recognized as one of the best inventions of 2022 and made the cover of Time
The Esper Hand prosthetic by the Ukrainian company Esper Bionics was included in the list of 200 best inventions of the year 2022 according to Time and made the cover of this magazine.
Details
It's not just a prosthesis, but a real smart robotic arm. It weighs only 380 g, has 24 sensors that pick up and process muscle activity and brain impulses to activate action in the arm. A neurocomputer interface (brain-computer interface) is used to exchange information between the brain and the device. Thanks to DSP - digital signal processing - the data are transmitted to the cloud. Over time, the prosthesis begins to "understand" the frequently repeated algorithms of human movements and learns to anticipate them.
"Capitalizing on advances in artificial intelligence and digital signal processing, Esper Bionics’ prosthetic hand is the first AI-powered, cloud-based robotic prosthetic that gets smarter over time"," according to Time.
The startup Esper Bionics officially launched in 2019. One of the main investors was the Ukrainian fund SMRK, and Esper Bionics is called the most viable startup in their portfolio along with Ajax, Competera and Turnkey Lender.
The prosthesis has received FDA approval from the U.S. medical regulator and approval to be sold in the U.S. and to work with U.S. insurance companies. When sales will start and how much the Esper Hand will cost is not yet known. But earlier, representatives of the company said that the cost of prosthesis in Ukraine will be $6000 and in developed markets - $10 000-16 000.
