It's not the first, we have had about a dozen of these types of arms appear in the US quietly since they have to spend millions to prove themself to the Medical societies, why they just release them in other countries. They had one guy with 2 total replacements he was pulling the cord on a lawnmower and starting it up and for cyber that kinda strain is amazing. And yes all controlled with thought.Tom Goldman said:Man Controls Cybernetic Hand With Thought Alone
European scientists are heralding a breakthrough achievement in the field of robotic-limb brain control.
Pierpaolo Petruzziello, a human, was recently able to control a cybernetic limb using only his brain. The Europeans scientists behind the breakthrough are saying it's the first time that such complex movements have been possible by a patient controlling a mechanism using brainpower alone.
Petruzziello lost his left arm at the elbow a few years ago and says that the mechanical "LifeHand" experiment gave him the sensation and feeling as if his arm still existed. He was able to move individual fingers, make a fist, and pick up objects with about 95% accuracy. It's rumored that Petruzziello even demonstrated how he could flip people off with the mechanical hand, which must have felt good.
The arm is unfortunately not implanted bionic-man style, it's attached through a series of electrodes in Petruzziello's remaining left arm. Still, it's an impressive feat that brings us one step closer to the reality of people chopping off their own limbs to replace them with cybernetic implants. However, before you go thinking you can be the first real life Barret [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barret_Wallace], the cost will have to be brought down a little for widespread use as project budget exceeded $4 million.
Source: Slashdot [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10613258&pnum=0]
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Good luck on someone chopping off their normal limbs...
Hope they have the near 250k to cover the limb....
