Making a working artificial hand has always been a great challenge in medicine. Even until now, most amputees without arms have to make use of hooks in place of their hands. Recently however, technology seems to get close to making a really functioning artificial hand.
The artificial arm is called the DEKA arm, which is part of a $100 million Pentagon program under the direction of DARPA (Defense Advance Research Project Agency). There are over 300 scientists working on the job, which involves engineers, neuroscientists and physchologists.
The broad reqirements of the project is to produce an artificial arm which is able to graps tiny and soft objects such as a grape and at the same time not weghing more than 9 lbs and not larger than an average human arm. The sensor feedback is achieved through vibrations which enables the person to understand the different pressure levels that the hand is applying. See video below:
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Reference: cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/10/60minutes/main4935509.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;segmentUtilities
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