Claudia Mitchell, the first woman in history to have a bionic arm

“In 2004, Claudia Mitchell lost her left arm in a motorcycle accident. Two years later, she became the first woman to have a bionic arm - a prosthetic limb that she controls with her mind.

The robotic arm comes from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and was developed for $3 million. Mitchell, who used to peel bananas using both feet and one hand, can now carry items, lift cups, and move her prosthetic arm almost as naturally as her real one.

How does it work? Mitchell’s arm is myoelectric, which means it picks up electrical signals coming straight from her brain, down her nerves. Electrodes help the signals jump from her body, to the prosthesis, which uses a computer to figure out which motion Mitchell is thinking about.”

Pretty amazing.