An extra finger in the hand can be very useful to carry out some tasks in a faster and more efficient way. To benefit from the advantages of having an extra thumb, the designer Danielle Clode has created a prosthesis printed in 3D that is placed in the hand and works like a finger.
The project, called The Third Thumb, is a platform that allows controlling the extra thumb by exerting pressure with the toes. The system does not need cables to operate, but it does it wirelessly through Bluetooth connection between the pressure sensors and the prosthesis of the hand.
Clode conceived this mechanism as a system to extend human capabilities, with a concept of biohacking but less invasive. And it is that an extra thumb gives us more and better gripping ability, while allowing us to perform complex activities in a faster and more effective.
The platform is composed of several parts. On one side is the prosthesis, which is placed by adjusting it to the base of the palm of the hand, as you can see in the images. These pieces have been made with a 3D printer using a flexible filament known as Ninjaflex. The thumb is articulated thanks to a small motor that is housed in a wearable device similar to a wristwatch.
To move the finger, the platform has two pressure sensors that are placed in the footwear, under the user's toes, that communicate with the wrist motor via Bluetooth. It has a very dynamic movement that allows you to work together with the real thumb and other fingers with ease.
The Third Thumb is a prototype that Clode has designed as creative work, so in principle it is not planned to be marketed.
