Have you ever wondered how two extra thumbs would make your hands more efficient? Okay, it might sound like something out of a sci-fi flick; however, a new study has found that your brain could be very okay with having an extra finger.
London-based researchers had people test out the Third Thumb device and found that these participants needed only one hand to perform strenuous tasks. Additionally, their brains started treating all the fingers equally. The researchers say that this Third thumb experiment could help advance the prosthetics conversation beyond limb replacements. It’ll now be able even to help boost the human being’s ability.
University College London’s Professor Tamar Makin said that the growing body augmentation industry is mainly focused on extending physical abilities. However, they still don’t understand fully how the human brain can adapt accordingly. So, using the cleverly designed Third Thumb, they looked to establish whether the brain could adapt to having extra body parts and how such tech may affect the brain.
Would things really be easier with an extra thumb?
Participants who controlled the Third Thumb device used pressure sensors components attached to their big toes’ bottom side. The Thumb and sensors wirelessly connect, and the change of pressure is what initiates different movements. Twenty participants tried out the revolutionary Third Thumb device over five days. The participants were also allowed to go with the Thumb home to try it out in real-life situations. The participants used the Thumb for around two to six hours per day. The researchers also gave a non-functioning version to 10 people and compared the results of both groups.
