Having an extra thumb in one hand can greatly improve your manual dexterity, but wouldn't it be difficult to learn how to use it? Not according to a new study, which found that the majority of diverse people understood the principle in just one minute.
We first heard about the third thumb back in 2017when it was created by British designer Danielle Clode as part of her master's project at the Royal College of Art in London.
At the heart of the device is the 3D printed articulated thumb itself, which is attached to the user's right hand so that it rests opposite their natural thumb. A cable connects the Thumb to a wrist-worn motor module, which is in turn wirelessly connected to two pressure sensors – one under each of the user's big toes.
Applying pressure to the right side sensor pulls the thumb sideways across the hand, while pressure to the left sensor pulls the finger toward the fingers. The stronger the toe pressure, the faster the thumb moves. Releasing pressure from the toes causes the thumb to return to its “original” position.
![Although specific to the right hand, the third thumb has proven easy for left-handers to learn.](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/54f2b84/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3444x2296+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F60%2Ff5f0576d40758e4b393dab5ca0b2%2Fthird-thumb-2024-4.jpeg)
Dani Clodé
When neuroscientists at University College London saw the Third Thumb on the news, they contacted Clode about using the device in their body augmentation research. In a sequel Study 2021, 20 volunteers were given five days to learn how to use the appendix and were encouraged to practice for two to six hours each day. Although research has shown how thumb use causes significant changes in activity in the brain's sensorimotor cortex, it has not provided much guidance on how the technology could be used by a wide range of people. people.
This is where the new study from the University of Cambridge comes into play.
It is based on data collected in 2022, when members of the public were invited to use the thumb at the Royal Society's annual summer science exhibition. Over a five-day period, a total of 596 participants were given just one minute to familiarize themselves with the device. The test subjects represented “a wide range of demographic backgrounds” and ranged in age from three to 96 years old.
![Members of the public try their hand at Thumb, during the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/3f5f51d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x2035+0+0/resize/1427x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F04%2F574950644c85baa1be9816925b8f%2Ftesting-at-royal-society-exhibition-1-large.jpeg)
Dani Clodé
All but four individuals were able to deliberately move their thumbs after the 60-second training session, except for young children who could not exert enough pressure on the toes and people for whom the configuration was not well adjusted. Additionally, all but 13 participants were able to manipulate objects with the thumb.
To go further, the volunteers were invited to carry out two specific tasks after the one-minute orientation session. The first involved using only the thumb to remove pegs from a pegboard and placing them in a basket, moving as many pegs as possible in 60 seconds. In total, 333 participants were able to do so.
The second task was to use the Thumb with the hand choose and place a number of foam objects of different shapes and sizes, again moving as many as possible within a minute. In this case, 246 people completed the exercise.
![Third Thumb Designer Dani Clode Gives Latest Study a Thumbs Up](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/37b633a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4067x2711+0+0/resize/1440x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2Fc1%2F8fa1b16a404b86cafa91bf8325ba%2Fdani-clode-third-thumb-14.jpeg)
Dani Clodé
It was found that there was no difference in performance between the sexes, or even between left-handers and right-handers (despite the fact that the third thumb is reserved for the right hand).
There was also little difference in the performance of younger and older adults, although within the “older” group, performance tended to decline with age. This may be due to a deterioration in sensorimotor and cognitive abilities, or simply because older people are generally less inclined towards technology.
It is hoped that once the third thumb is developed, it can be used not only to enhance the abilities of able-bodied users, but also to assist people with diminished manual dexterity.
“Augmentation is about designing a new relationship with technology – creating something that goes beyond just being a tool to becoming an extension of the body itself,” says Clode, who is now a collaborator in the lead scientist's lab , the Cambridge University professor. Tamar Makin. “Given the diversity of organisms, it is crucial that the design stage of wearable technology is as inclusive as possible. It is equally important that these devices are accessible and functional for a wide range of users.”
An article about the study was recently published in the journal Scientific robotics. You can see the third thumb in action in the video below.
Test the third thumb
Source: University of Cambridge