UK man given 'terminator-like' prosthetic limb

Nigel Ackland, 53, from Royston, Cambridgeshire lost his arm in an accident six years ago and has now been given a new lease of life by a hi-tech bionic hand which is so precise that he can type again.

The new Bebionic 3 Myoelectric hand, which is also made from aluminium and alloy knuckles, moves like a real human limb by responding to Ackland's muscle twitches, the Telegraph reported.

The muscle twitches in his upper arm are detected by sensors that trigger one of 14 pre-programmed grips, mirroring human movements.

The different grip patterns include a clenched fist, a pointed finger and a pincer and a lighter and heavier depending on how the user tenses his upper arm.

The robotic arm is so sensitive that he can touch type on a computer keyboard, peel vegetables and even dress himself for the first time in six years.

Ackland lost his arm when it was caught in an industrial blending machine at a smelting plant in 2006, the report said.

He is one of just seven people in the world to be given the arm by Leeds-based prosthetics company, RSLSteeper, as part of a four-month trial.