Pianists fitted with robotic thumb can learn to play with 11 digits

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

A robotic extra thumb can be controlled well enough by some people to be used while playing piano.

Since 2015, Aldo Faisal at Imperial College London and his colleagues have been developing a robotic “third thumb” that straps to a user’s hand next to the little finger. The thumb is controlled by the wearer via electrical signals from wiggling their foot.

The researchers have now begun testing the device to see if it is helpful for activities …