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Man Has Nokia Phone Embedded In False Limb 171

Posted by samzenpus from the arm-phone dept.
judgecorp writes "A British man born with one arm has a Nokia phone dock embedded in his prosthetic limb. Apparently, Apple refused to have an iPhone suitably customized for the job. From the article: 'Mr Prideaux, of Wedmore, Somerset, said: "I think this is the first time this has ever been done in the world - and it is brilliant. I can now take calls and make texts just by using my one hand, while the phone sits inside my arm. The phone slots smoothly and securely within my limb and is easily removable, when required. I think this would help a lot of people with prosthetic arms - especially those who were not born with the disability. People who have had motorbike crashes and soldiers who have lost limbs - they could all benefit from this."'"
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Man Has Nokia Phone Embedded In False Limb More

Man Has Nokia Phone Embedded In False Limb

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  • Of course... (Score:5, Funny)

    by fuzzyfuzzyfungus ( 1223518 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:00PM (#37851502) Journal
    "Apparently, Apple refused to have an iPhone suitably customized for the job."

    We all know Apple's position on people who hold it wrong...

  • Motorbikes? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by hairyfish ( 1653411 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:00PM (#37851504)
    People who've had motorbike crashes and soldiers? Is that what comes to people's minds when they think amputees?

    • Re:Motorbikes? (Score:4, Funny)

      by couchslug ( 175151 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:05PM (#37851540)

      The fatasses who lost limbs to "diabesity" are less gratifying to picture.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        I was thinking of clumsy people with table saws.

      • Re:Motorbikes? (Score:5, Informative)

        by demonlapin ( 527802 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:19PM (#37851646) Homepage Journal
        Fat diabetics lose toes. Skinny emphysematous chain-smokers lose legs. Missing arms are almost always congenital or traumatic.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Dunbal ( 464142 ) *
          Don't lose hope, some people [hopkinsvasculitis.org] can lose upper [wikipedia.org] limbs to disease.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by msobkow ( 48369 )

          Diabetics suffer blood circulation problems later in life regardless of their weight. It is not caused by a self-imposed obesity problem.

          • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

            by Anonymous Coward

            What do you think is the major cause of diabetes? Sure, Type I Diabetes is unrelated to body weight, but this makes up 90% have Type II Diabetes which is strongly correlated with obesity. In fact, studies have shown that weight loss can cure Type II Diabetes and prevent long-term complications. So yes, I would say it is self-inflicted (in the vast majority).

    • People who've had motorbike crashes and soldiers? Is that what comes to people's minds when they think amputees?

      I can't speak for the public perception; but the stats differ pretty significantly depending on the type amputation you are talking about. Since this phone graft is an arm thing, and wouldn't be nearly as useful in a leg(especially just the lower bit), upper limb amputations are presumably more relevant. Those are majority trauma cases, especially once you remove the congenital cases, as he does for some reason.

      Circulatory issues(including but not limited to diabetes related ones) more often hit lower li

    • I never ever wanted to ask a Slashdotter this ... but.. are you typing one-handed?

    • That and construction accidents. When it comes to jobs/activities that commonly have people loosing body parts that's basically what it comes down too (unless you live in a logging town?).

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by necro81 ( 917438 )
      For upper limb amputations, between 2/3 and 3/4 are due to trauma: motorbike crashes and soldiers. sources: [1 [brown.edu]], [2 [amputee-coalition.org]], [3 [catastrophicinjury.com]]

      For lower limbs, they are mostly vascular-related, secondary to heart disease and diabetes.

    • Uh, yeah? Something wrong with that? Those are the two most common amputees that would come to my mind (although not in that order).

  • While I.. (Score:4, Funny)

    by monzie ( 729782 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:02PM (#37851522) Homepage
    ..Sit with a blackberry phone up my ass. (Posted from my BB playbook 'Bridged' with my BB )

  • Headset (Score:5, Interesting)

    by dissy ( 172727 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:06PM (#37851546)

    Now all he has to do is put a bluetooth headset in the artificial hand.

    Imagine, speaker embedded in the tip of the thumb, and mic embedded in the tip of the pinky finger.
    That would look awesome!

    • Be even cooler if he could learn to interface with it directly using biometrics between the artificial and the real to pick up nerve signals.

    • Now all he has to do is put a bluetooth headset in the artificial hand.

      Imagine, speaker embedded in the tip of the thumb, and mic embedded in the tip of the pinky finger. That would look awesome!

      Unfortunately that probably wouldn't count as "hands-free" in states where it is required, and you'd end up getting pulled over for talking into your (artificial) hand.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Mitsoid ( 837831 )

        He'd probably get off by giving the officer a laugh..

        "Look, it's hands-free!"

        But in seriousness, the article points out the guy can put it in speakerphone, which can satisfy most state laws on hands free.. I think the design is actually quiet handy and well thought out to support both ""Holding"" it to his ear (those who didn't check the article, it's embedded in the forearm) .. but also serves very well for texting (like a Power Glove (tm).. of sorts.. just with a phone UI)

        IMO, great idea.. I'm glad someon

  • Power source (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Dan East ( 318230 ) on Wednesday October 26, 2011 @09:08PM (#37851564) Journal

    Just think of the additional batteries you could fit in an area the size of a prosthetic limb. You could probably get upwards of a month of normal smartphone use without recharging.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by CAIMLAS ( 41445 )

      You could probably get upwards of a month of normal smartphone use without recharging.

      And maybe 2 or three days with an iPhone.

      • You could probably get upwards of a month of normal smartphone use without recharging.

        And maybe 2 or three days with an iPhone.

        Only because iPhones owners actually use their smartphone features regularly.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Spykk ( 823586 )
      Three men were killed this morning when a high-five over extended battery life resulted in a devastating explosion. More at 11:00.

    • I dunno, I think a lot of prosthetic limbs are themselves powered, and require a battery for their own operations. I imagine the whole weight/cost/longevity issue has probably already been optimised around the arm's own function.

  • Talk about being permanently attached to an OS. I hope he really really likes WinMo 7

    • yeah, getting locked into an OS is really going to outweigh him actually being able to use a device, which almost requires dragging interaction, without having to balance it on a semiflat non-stable surface. Also, apple, they is dicks.

      • I'm sure the Apple employee who turned this guy down has already been fired (mid-elevator ride, in memory of Steve). Talk about an epic PR failure and lost opportunity...

    • The C7 is a Symbian^3 device. If reviews are to be believed, that probably means that he would love WinMo 7. Or Android, or the sweet embrace of death, or just about anything, really.

      • I dunno, Symbian and WinMo are both on the same level of suckitude in my book.

        Didn't Nokia release some MeeGo phone recently? (I stopped caring about it when I found out it didn't have a hardware keyboard). That would have been a good choice since he's not going to type fast with one hand anyway.

    • Maybe WinMo 7 is good? Usually Microsoft gets it right shortly after people stop caring.
      • Does anyone still really care about Windows Mobile, now named Windows Phone 7? According to your theory they probably have gotten it right by now. The video demos that I have seen about it do look good. App support is most likely their greatest hurdle.... developers, developers, developers! isn't it?

        • Unfortunately Windows Phone 7 is not just a renamed Windows Mobile, otherwise I would use it instead of Android.

  • We all know it's coming, that is why Apple wouldn't do it. What prior art? On a side no

  • Hmm, if you are going to get a smartphone dock built into your prosthetic, it really ought to be an Android phone.

  • hands free? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Does it count as a hands free kit when you're driving? Even if you only have one hand?

  • Should have used more hackable phone (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    He should have gone with the Nokia N9 or N900, the latter even more accessible than the former, software and hardware wise - you can just hack away in any language you want, even just shell scripting, no need to learn an all new programming language/framework and no need to get any sort of license to be able to write apps etc.

    With a little hardware tweaking he would have a device in his arm that could basically function as a full PC (the N900 is designed for landscape mode), a short range FM station (integr

    • He should have gone with the Nokia N9 or N900, the latter even more accessible than the former, software and hardware wise - you can just hack away in any language you want, even just shell scripting, no need to learn an all new programming language/framework and no need to get any sort of license to be able to write apps etc.

      Yes, because if there's one thing the typical shopper is looking for when buying a smartphone - it's shell scripting.

      • Yes, because if there's one thing the typical shopper is looking for when buying a smartphone - it's being able to interface it with their prosthetics

        I'm going to go out on a limb and say this guy just might be a power user.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by pnot ( 96038 )

          I'm going to go out on a limb and say this guy just might be a power user.

          Did you elbow your way into this thread just so you could be humerus?

    • He's a catering manager, not a geek. He probably doesn't have a clue what shell scripts are, he just wants to text his wife and let her know he'll be a bit late home from work, phone customers while in his office, etc. Maybe Nokia told him he'd have to pay extra for a N900 and he's happy enough with the phone he's got. Maybe got other more important things to spend money on than an expensive phone.

      You do make cool suggestions, you should drop him a line, maybe he'd be interested.

      Shame on Apple for turning h

  • Could have used any phone then.

  • I have a cochlear implant for hearing; why can't they implant a whole phone? I could answer calls and texts with brain waves instead of muscle movements.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AlecC ( 512609 )

      Wait ten years. It takes that sort of time for gee-whizz new tech to become commonplace enough that people with skills in other fields (such as medical implants) can build the components into unrelated gadgets.

      Though all you need is the control system and bluetooth in your brain. If the brain can touch an imaginary screen like fingers touch a real one, the rest of the phone can be in your pocket (easier to charge, upgrade etc).

  • Hasn't this dude ever played mega man games? A mega-buster in the arm is way cooler than a phone, not to mention with a mega buster you will always have access to a phone as you can simply "borrow" the phone of whoever is next to you.

  • I don't think it's such a big deal to put a cell phone in a wooden leg.

    I had an uncle who kept a typewriter and a box of cuban cigars in a cedar chest.

    (yeah, yeah, I know the article doesn't say anything about the artificial limb being made of wood, but I get to use that joke so seldom, that I felt this would probably be my best opportunity for some time.)

    Get it? Wooden leg...cedar chest...? See...oh, forget it. I'm going back to Rage to kill some more Jackals. Those sons a bitches are pain, but they ma

  • I don't know how many manufacturers will customize their product for a single customer, especially when that customization amounts to a case that's embedded in a prosthetic limb.

  • Is the Nokia C7 ARM based?
  • I'm not surprised this was done, but it's hard to believe that it wasn't done before.
    • It was probably summer when he did it. Once winter arrives, he'll figure out how to answer a phone while wearing a sweater and a coat.

  • It actually looks like a pipboy from Fallout. He can even use it as a flashlight!
    Now he needs a Geiger counter app..

    I've been wanting to build one for a few years, and with a cheap ipod touch, it's feasible.

    • Speaking of flashlights... I saw this made-for-tv movie on the syfy channel (short for syphillus) where some police investigators in an unlit tunnel used their phones as a feeble and inadequate light source rather than using the bog standard issue flashlights you would expect. I was wondering how could any writer be so stupid then I remembered this was a Hollywood writer.

  • Can I borrow your phone?
    Talk to the hand.

  • Seriously this is the same sort of stuff Car stereo installers have been doing for years. Modifying consoles to imbed electronics.

    Now I can see maybe doing this to an artifical arm may affect structural intergirty but is this really special? It's just a phone imbeded into a plastic arm.You can now make phone calls with one hand, but I guess having it there in your arm is rather convenient.

  • "I can now take calls and make texts just by using my one hand"

    I used to be able to do this, back when my phone had raised buttons. I didn't even have to look. Hold one button down for speed dial. I could text without looking since I had the keys memorized, which was great for driving. I don't even try to do that now. A glass touchscreen and more functionality is nice but it's less specialized as a result and not an improvement on older phones in every way.

  • I saw the picture and all I could think was "That is one high tech pirate!"
  • Did no one else notice the phone is upside down in the picture?
  • Q: So what do you get when you put a telecommunications device in your prosthetic?

    A: A phoney limb!

    Really, thanks folks, I'll be here all week...

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