Driver gets German thought-powered prosthetics
A young Austrian man has become the first European to drive a car with thought-powered prosthetic arms, German company Otto Bock announced on Tuesday.
Christian Kandlbauer lost both arms in an electricity accident as an 18-year-old. But the former auto mechanic will now be able to get behind the wheel of a car again thanks to new prosthetics that connect the remaining nerves at the site of amputation to a car modified to accommodate them.
Two years ago, the company developed the world’s first thought-powered prosthetic arms, which Kandlbauer demonstrated to the public. On Friday he will demonstrate the modified car at the Otto Bock Science Centre in Berlin, where the company will also show further advances in the development of his prosthetic arms.
Kandlbauer has already passed his drivers’ test in the car made by Paravan, a company that specialises in modified cars for people with disabilities. He uses it for his daily commute to work, an Otto Bock spokesperson said.
He now works as a warehouse clerk at the company where he was employed as a mechanic before his accident.
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Christian Kandlbauer lost both arms in an electricity accident as an 18-year-old. But the former auto mechanic will now be able to get behind the wheel of a car again thanks to new prosthetics that connect the remaining nerves at the site of amputation to a car modified to accommodate them.
Two years ago, the company developed the world’s first thought-powered prosthetic arms, which Kandlbauer demonstrated to the public. On Friday he will demonstrate the modified car at the Otto Bock Science Centre in Berlin, where the company will also show further advances in the development of his prosthetic arms.
Kandlbauer has already passed his drivers’ test in the car made by Paravan, a company that specialises in modified cars for people with disabilities. He uses it for his daily commute to work, an Otto Bock spokesperson said.
He now works as a warehouse clerk at the company where he was employed as a mechanic before his accident.
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