IamA Prosthetist/Orthotist. I make cyborgs and shoot lasers at babies. Ask Me Anything!

YOU AT LEAST GIVE THEM A LAZER TO FIGHT BACK?

Are you mad?! NEVER!

I'm missing most of my left hand. I've never looked into an artificial hand since it would have required amputation of what I do have, and because I've gotten along fine with... except for video games.

When do you predict we will have an artificial hand capable of being efficient/quick enough to play video game consoles like a normal person?

There are partial hand prostheses out there. Failing that, get your limb scanned and have someone 3D print you some spare fingers. Talk to the Cyborg Beast people. Link's somewhere down there in the doobleydoo.

As far as game controls? What fingers are you missing? Do you just need a mount to hold the controller so your thumb can get where it needs to be, or do you need fingers for the shoulder triggers? Watch this Game/Show video.

WHAT YEAR IS THIS?????

2018, Marcus. Go kill John Connor

You're probably getting a lot of questions like this, but - I'd really like to get into prosthetics/orthotics. I'm a stay at home mom at the moment, but in about 4 years my kids will all be in school and my dream career is to work with people to make/fit prosthetics/orthotics.

I'm cool with going back to school if necessary, but I definitely am not going to get a medical degree or anything like that. I've just always been interested in adaptive technology and I'm really good working with my hands (I sew, do woodworking... whatever I want to make, I figure out how to do it, basically - I'm the fix-it person at home and in every single job I've ever had). I'm good at improvising with materials on hand, I'm clever, creative, and I love helping people. So I always thought it would be a good fit.

Is there some position that would allow me to do the actual like... hands-on fitting and modification of prosthetics? Like some sort of assistant? Is there a name for it so that I could look up how I need to educate myself? Anything you could do to point me in the right direction would be awesome. :)

Behind every good prosthetist is an excellent technician. There is no way I can see as many patients as I do without someone else actually building the things. There's technically a certification, but next to no techs actually have it. If you can demonstrate an aptitude and the hand skills, go for it. I recommend checking the want ads.

Ninja edit -- Sewing is super useful. Woodworking not so much anymore, but if you've done any sculpting that's brownie points. You sound like you'd be great regardless.

What would be the best metal song to give to that title? It would seem that you make cyborgs out of babies strong enough to survive the laser. Also, what are your plans for world domination?

I imbed each device with an override command module. Once I have enough in the field, I'll activate them all at once and THE WORLD WILL BE MINE!!!

I'm partial to Black Sabbath by Iron Man, but that might be played out at this point. Maybe something by Celldweller?

What are the new questions that we need to answer for the prosthetic field? I know the group Infinite Biomedical Technologies is working on making arm prosthetics more versatile by using RFID chips to change the prosthesis function.

I'm not sure about that solution. Do they have separate dongles that assign different grip patterns? Does that mean the user has to have a keyring of these things at all times? Or are they affixed to the objects the patient uses on a regular basis?

I think the new question is where MIT is going. We are living in the future. We have magic mirrors that contain all the knowledge of the human race and we still have shoes that give us blisters. Good socket fit, and I mean good socket fit, is key. Everything else is just tinkertoys.