New prosthetic limbs under development by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) could allow service members who lost limbs to perform functions that were simply not possible before. New technology allows users to strap on the prosthetics and flip a switch, enabling the devices to be ready to use virtually immediately. Once activated, users can use a pen or a power tool, pick up a key, or lift a coffee cup. Volunteers who tested the devices say they mastered their use within an hour or two. Other federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National
Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration, have shown interest in the new prosthetic designs.
