At the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition, researchers from the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge tested Dani Clode’s “Third Thumb,” a wearable robotic extra thumb, on nearly 600 members of the public .

According to findings published in Science Robotics in 2024, an impressive 98% of participants were able to control the extra thumb within the first minute regardless of age (ranging from children as young as three to adults up to 96 years old), gender, handedness, or related hand-based hobbies . The study involved two main tasks: a pegboard challenge (333 participants) and a foam-object manipulation task (246 participants) .

This swift adaptability underscores not only the device’s user-friendliness but also highlights the importance of inclusive design. The research team, emphasized the value of testing emerging technologies across diverse groups to ensure general usability and avoid biases common in early-stage tech testing .