FAQ | HACKberry

What can HACKberry do?

Main function of HACKberry is "pinching" by the index finger and the thumb. In general, prosthetic hand has to compromise its function as compared with a natural hand due to the limitation of space for actuators and control resolution. Assuming that most users have another hand remained intact, HACKberry is designed to provide supportive functions for it.
Is HACKberry sold as a prosthetic hand?

No, HACKberry is not sold as an off-the-shelf prosthesis product. The quality and durability of HACKberry is insufficient for practical daily functions. The purpose of selling HACKberry is to provide an opportunity to learn, develop and promote research on prosthetic hand (or general robotic hand).
How is HACKberry used by medical professionals?

Although HACKberry are not ready for practical daily uses, it can contribute for "training" before an amputee receives the practical-grade prosthesis, which is expensive and takes time to prepare. In Japan, there are some professional therapists using HACKberry in this way to train amputee get used to the control of EMG, without spending cost and time for documentation for insurance.
What is required as a prerequisite?

Fundamental skills for programming and soldering are necessary. If you don't have any experience for these, it is recommend to learn these through some electronic DIY materials for beginners before working on HACKberry.
I can't upload a program to Arduino. How can I solve it?

There are three common causes. Please make sure you have the correct settings. USB cable has to be capable for data transmission. Some cables only support charging. A driver for FT232 chip has to be installed in your PC. Please check FTDI's webpage and download the latest driver for your PC environment. Arduino IDE has to be set as follows from [tools] tab: board - Arduino Nano processor - ATmega328P(Old bootloader) serial port - [the name representing the usb device]
How can I make HACKberry hand?

All data of HACKberry are disclosed on github and free to use under the policy described. If you don't have an access to 3D printer, or cannot procure components described in BOM, you can order kits from this webpage.
Is there instructions to make HACKberry hand?

You can find a complete manual here. English version will be available soon. French version is published by e-nable France. (Big thanks!)

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