Video by Oles Gedz

We flew to the UK to learn more about the designer 3D-printing third thumbs. Is this the dawn of human body augmentation? Subscribe to Freethink on YouTube ► Watch the Hard Reset series ► Motorized prosthetics are nothing new. But what about artificial body parts that don’t replace missing ones, but instead provide us with extended capabilities, while also revealing insights into the relationship between brain and body? That’s the main research focus of augmentation designer Dani Clode, who developed the Third Thumb, a 3D-printed extension for your hand that is controlled by your toes. Through collaborative neuroscientific research with The Plasticity Lab at University College London & Cambridge University, Clode and her colleagues hope to better understand how the brain adapts to augmentation, learn more about the limits of neuroplasticity, and explore how to best utilize it to improve the control and usability of prosthetics and augmentative devices. Watch on ► ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ Read more of our stories on bionics: Is our world ready for mind-controllable robotic body parts? ► MIT’s new bionics center may usher in our cyborg future ► Man builds his own bionic hand out of melted plastic bottle ► ◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡ Watch our original series: ► Hard Reset: ► Just Might Work: ► Challengers: ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ About Freethink No politics, no gossip, no cynics. At Freethink, we believe the daily news should inspire people to build a better world. While most media is fueled by toxic politics and negativity, we focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most ground breaking technology shaping our future. ◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡ Enjoy Freethink on your favorite platforms: ► Daily editorial features: ​ ► Solutions-based stories, straight to your inbox: ► Facebook: ​ ► Instagram: ​ ► Twitter: ​ ► Join the Freethink forum: