Prosthetic limbs have in the past struggled to match the flesh and blood that they replace, recent advancements in robotics may soon change that.

Drummer Jason Barnes lost his right arm a few years ago but he could never give up on his drummer dreams, his passion and love of rhythm drove him on. Initially he built his own prosthetics specifically for drumming but he was never able to match the control and flexibility of our natural wrist and hand.

Professor Gill Weinberg joined Jason on his journey to bring up the beat, together they worked on the cybernetic right hand Jason now uses. A robotic hand that has given Jason superhuman skills that are unique to him alone.

Presented for your viewing pleasure is Jason the cybernetic drummer in action, with superhuman abilities he lays down a jazz beat for his fellow band members. Sit back, relax and watch the future of the cybernetic human in action.

The latest incarnation of the cybernetic arm includes multiple EMG (electromyography) sensors to control the grip, rebound and rhythm of his right hand.

Extending his abilities past the normal human skills Jason and Professor Weinberg have added a second stick to the cybernetic hand. The stick even has a mind of its own, playing to the rhythm that Jason is laying down. This skill is something unique to Jason and his cybernetic right arm.

Development is continuing on the artificial arm, Weinberg is now working to integrate the control of the arm directly into Jason’s brain. Hard wiring should allow far more precise timing control of his cybernetic arm. At the moment Jason’s brain is adjusting for any delay or latency in the system, direct control could improve this greatly.

Future version of the arm may even be able to store whole drum patterns for the second stick, triggered by a single thought, think pattern 1 and the second stick switches to that sequence, think pattern 2 and it switches again.

The cybernetic future is fast approaching; a future previously only seen in science fiction films is now starting to improve the lives of many people. Where this future will take us is limited only by how far we are willing to take it.