Ashlee VanceNYT Best Seller | Reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek

The Future of Robotic Limbs #tech #science #neurotech #prosthetic #robot

28 May 2026 · 1 min

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In this short on‑camera demo, Alex showcases a Psionic‑manufactured mind‑controlled robotic hand. The hand is built from carbon‑fiber, packed with sensors, and weighs 490 g—lighter than a typical human hand. Alex describes the experience as unusually natural and easy to use. He demonstrates core functions: opening and closing, a three‑finger pinch, a two‑finger pinch, and full wrist rotation. The segment ends with a light‑hearted comment that the hand can even "flick people off," highlighting both its dexterity and the playful tone of the demo.

I've tried all kinds of different hands and I've beta tested different things and I've tried production systems and I've never had something that's sort of this natural and this just sort of easy to use. It's really, really powerful.
Alex's robotic hand was made by a company called Psionic. It's packed full of sensors and made out of carbon fiber so that it's strong and lightweight. At 490 grams, it weighs less than the average human hand. While the device is amazing, I really came here to learn how Alex operates it.
Without being a total jerk, can I see what you can do? Can do.
Yeah, but I am a simple man, and if you put a dude with a mind-controlled robotic hand in front of me, I'm going to want to see things.
I've got open and close, I've got a, um, 3-finger pinch, and then I've got a 2-finger pinch, and then I can rotate the wrists. Everyone always asks, can I flick people off? And the answer is yes.
360.