Guido of Arezzo
In the 12th century, a development in teaching and learning music in a more efficient manner had arisen. Guido of Arezzo's alleged development of the Guidonian hand, more than a hundred years after his death, allowed for musicians to label a specific joint or fingertip with the gamut (also referred to as the hexachord in the modern era). Using specific joints of the hand and fingertips transformed the way one would learn and memorize solmization syllables. Not only did the Guidonian hand become a standard use in preparing music in the 12th century, its popularity grew more widespread well into the 17th and 18th century. The knowledge and use of the Guidonian hand would allow a musician to simply transpose, identify intervals, and aid in use of notation and the creation of new music. Musicians were able to sing and memorize longer sections of music and counterpoint during performances and the amount of time spent diminished dramatically.
Michelangelo Hand
Austrian electrician Patrick Mayrhofer suffered serious injuries to his hands at the age of 20 when he touched a 6000-volt power line in February 2008. After unsuccessful attempts to reconstruct his left hand, it was amputated below the elbow in July 2010 and he became the first patient in the world to be fitted with a Michelangelo Hand. He joined Ottobock 3 years later, helping their customers learn to use their prostheses. Having started para-snowboarding in 2012, Mayrhofer was named Paralympic Austrian Sports Personality of the Year after winning a gold medal in banked slalom at the 2015 Para-Snowboard World Championships He went on to win the Paralympic silver medal in banked slalom at the 2018 Winter Olympics.