Denver Marine receives world's first prosthetic hand controlled by his mind

DENVER - A Denver veteran is the first in the world to have a robotic prosthetic hand, which he can control with his thoughts.

The Alfred Man Foundation developed the new technology. The foundation specializes in making life-enhancing technology possible.

"The joke is I got a Luke Skywalker hand," said Staff Sgt. James Sides.

Sides' life changed forever on July 15, 2012.

He was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded below him.

"Rolled over to go to stand up and I saw that my forearm was broken and my hand was shredded to my wrist," said Sides.

Since his accident, he's mastered the use of his prosthetic but said he always felt limited by their lack of fluidity.

"If I wanted to pick something up I would have to look at it and pick it up and do what I had to do," said Sides.

So when he got a chance to test a robotic arm at the Walter Reed National Medical Center in Maryland he jumped at the opportunity.

"I didn’t think this technology would come out in my lifetime," said Sides.

He underwent surgery, and now has a sensor smaller than a penny imbedded in his muscles.

"The prosthetics over my residual limb, that copper coil creates an electromagnetic field and when my muscles fire the sensors pick that up," Sides said while showing the prosthetic to Reporter Jennifer Kovaleski.

The sensors allow him to operate the arm with his thoughts.

"You're moving your hand like I would," said Kovaleski.

"Exactly, you're contracting the same muscles as in your forearm," said Sides.

He can even move his thumb, drink from a water bottle, and give a pretty impressive handshake.

"When I go to shake someone's hand it's got sensors in there to stop when it feels resistance," said Sides.

For Sgt. Sides the arm makes him feel one step closer to having a normal life.

"The thing I like most is going out shopping, grocery shopping is awesome," he said. "I have two hands I don't have to worry about pushing the cart and grabbing stuff I can grab stuff with the hand, if I need to hold the cart."

Seven other patients have received the robotic arm from the Alfred Man Foundation.

At this point, the technology is not widely available but the hope is that someday that will change. 

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