A bionic hand that 'sees' is offering hope of a better future for amputees as scientists work towards making an artificial limb as good as Luke Skywalker's in the Star Wars films. A new generation of prosthetic limbs which will allow the wearer to reach for objects automatically, without thinking - just like a real hand - are being trialled for the first time. The bionic hand, developed by biomedical engineers at Newcastle University, is fitted with a camera which instantaneously takes a picture of the object in front of it, assesses its shape and size and triggers a series of movements in the hand. Bypassing the usual processes which require the user to see the object, physically stimulate the muscles in the arm and trigger a movement in the prosthetic limb, the hand 'sees' and reacts in one fluid movement.