Desmopan aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was selected by TRS for use on the gripping surface of its high-performance Grip 3 prosthetic prehensor (hand).

Childress and his laboratory developed many important rehabilitation technologies, including the first self-contained electromyography-controlled prosthetic arm, the sip-and-puff wheelchair controller, and the synergetic prehensor. Childress also published more than 130 publications that helped to broaden the knowledge base in the areas of prosthetics, orthotics, assistive technology, and human walking.

When we would add a cosmetic covering to such a device, this would considerably increase the total required work of the prehensor. Devices that have a more complex mechanism, with more joints and transmissions, require much more work than relatively simple mechanisms.

Pioneering work by Dudley Childress on synergetic prehension [27] led to the development of multiple upper-limb prosthetic devices, including the Hosmer Synergetic Prehensor and the Otto Bock Electrohand for Children.

Comparison of three myoelectrically controlled prehensors and the voluntary-opening split hook.

TRS Inc., a Pittsburgh company dedicated to the design of body-powered prosthetic devices, has announced "new generation of prosthetic prehensors (hands)." Said to offer a "more realistic, user-friendly" prosthetic option, the Grip 3 features a soft-grip texture that is provided by Desmopan aliphatic thermoplastic urethane (TPU) from Bayer Polymers, which is used to mold the device's gripping surface.

measured several VO and VC child-size prehensors [9].

These technologies range from the highly advanced, such as myoelectric-controlled prosthetic arms or stair-climbing wheelchairs (http://www.independencenow.com/ ibot/index.html), to the simple, such as manual wheelchairs or mechanical hook prehensors. Many factors affect user acceptance of such devices, including cost, simplicity, aesthetics, maintenance, and ease of control.