10 Incredible Innovations in Prosthetics: Enhancing Lives

When I was little, I faced a big challenge – I had to have my legs amputated below the knee. But you know what? I didn’t let that stop me. With the help of prosthetics, I became an amazing athlete, competing in the 1996 Paralympic Games. Not only that, but I also had a successful career as a model. I wanted to show people that physical challenges don’t define us.

They call me the lady with 12 legs, and I owe it all to my prosthetic devices. These incredible creations have transformed my life, and I’m not alone. For many people like me, prosthetics bring a renewed sense of hope and vitality. In this article, I want to share with you 10 remarkable prosthetic innovations that are changing the face of medicine.

The Game-Changing Role of Smartphones in Diagnostic Medicine

I’ve talked before about how amazing smartphones are and how they can make our lives so much better. They’re not just phones anymore – they’re like our lifeline to everything we need. But you know what’s even more incredible? Bionic hands.

The i-LIMB Hand

The i-LIMB hand is pretty special. It’s actually the first bionic hand that was ever sold to regular people like you and me. Can you believe it? This thing came out way back in 2007! The amazing thing about this hand is that you can control it with your muscles.

Yeah, that’s right – you move your muscles in your arm and it makes the hand move. It’s like magic! Different muscle movements make the hand do different things. For example, if you quickly move your muscles a certain way, the hand will do a pinch grip. How cool is that?

But you know what’s really cool? This hand keeps getting better and better. Now it has even more functions for your fingers and thumb. And get this – there’s even a mobile app that helps you control it. Talk about high-tech!

The Bebionic3 Hand

They call it the ‘Terminator arm,’ and it’s the latest and greatest in prosthetic hand technology. Meet the Bebionic3. Just like the i-LIMB, this incredible device is activated by signals from your muscles, giving you access to a wide range of grips and making everyday tasks a breeze. With precision that rivals the human hand, the Bebionic3 allows you to live your life to the fullest.

Now, let’s talk about legs:

For amputees who have lost their leg above the knee, standard prosthetics can be a real challenge. But don’t worry, Össur has you covered. They’ve developed a bionic knee called the Power Knee that provides the support you need for smooth and easy movement.

I have an amazing invention to share with you. It’s called the Power Knee, and it’s designed to make walking feel effortless and natural. What sets this invention apart is that it mimics the necessary muscle actions in your leg, allowing you to bend your knee without any extra effort. But that’s not all – the Power Knee can also adapt to your unique walking style, providing you with added comfort and efficiency.

Feet: Proprio Foot

Now let’s talk about another incredible invention called the Proprio Foot. It’s a bionic foot created by the same brilliant minds behind the Power Knee. The goal of the Proprio Foot is to help you walk on uneven ground with ease. Unlike regular prosthetics, this foot is designed to minimize the extra effort you usually have to put in. It’s lightweight, has a powered ankle, and can adapt to different terrains. With the Proprio Foot, you’ll experience a more natural way of walking and standing.

Leg: BiOM

Have you heard of BiOM? You might recognize the name from a TedTalk given by Hugh Herr, who leads the Biomechatronics group at MIT’s Center For Extreme Bionics. He talked about the incredible progress in bionic leg technology and how it can change people’s lives. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Herr shows off the amazing capabilities of his prosthetics and even brings a dancer on stage to demonstrate the flexibility of the bionic leg.

The Deka Arm: A Helping Hand

The DEKA Arm, also known as the ‘Luke Arm’ (a nod to Luke Skywalker), is an invention by Dean Kamen and his team at DEKA Research and Development Corporation. This groundbreaking prosthetic was created with support from DARPA’s Prosthesis Advancement program, which aims to push the boundaries of prosthetic technology.

The arm functions using a combination of electrodes, physical movement, and switches. These inputs are processed to create hand movements. The prosthetic received FDA approval in May 2014, suggesting that it may become widely available soon.

Now, let’s talk about the Modular Prosthetic Limb, created by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. This innovative arm, funded by the Prosthesis Advancement project, aims to provide users with the same range of motion and flexibility as a natural arm, all controlled directly by the brain.

As its name suggests, this prosthetic limb is designed to be modular, meaning it can replace any damaged limb at any time. Early users of this device have reported being able to distinguish between individual fingers and even feel the firmness of objects they touch.

Moving on to the Argus, a device designed to help with vision.

I want to tell you about a device called Second Sight’s Argus II. It’s pretty amazing because it can actually help people with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa. This device combines a special implant that goes in the eye with a camera that attaches to a pair of glasses. The camera sends images to the implant, which then stimulates the remaining cells in the retina, giving the person some visual information. It’s not going to magically fix blindness, but it’s a big step forward in helping people see again.

Now, let me tell you about another incredible invention: artificial hearts. These have been around for more than 50 years! While they’re not quite ready to permanently replace a real heart, they can really make a big difference in people’s lives. For example, there’s a special heart called the AbioCor that can keep someone alive for about 18 months while they wait for a heart transplant. That’s pretty impressive!

Sometimes, you don’t need to replace a failing part of the heart. Instead, you can get some help from a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) to assist or substitute that part. These devices take care of pumping blood, just like the heart would. Even former US Vice President Dick Cheney used a VAD for almost 2 years.

The Bionic Pancreas

For people with Type-1 diabetes, the bionic pancreas offers a new way to manage their condition. Instead of manually injecting insulin, this device has a special sensor that keeps track of glucose levels. It then sends this data to a smartphone app.

The app analyzes the information and automatically delivers the right amount of insulin through an implanted pump. All you have to do is tell the app about your meals, and it does the rest. The bionic pancreas is still in the early stages of development, but the potential benefits are already evident.

Extra: The Eyeborg Documentary

Imagine losing an eye in an accident and then turning that loss into a creative opportunity. That’s exactly what filmmaker Rob Spence did. After losing his eye, he decided to do something bold and groundbreaking – he installed a camera in his prosthetic eye. It’s like something out of a science fiction movie.

But this isn’t just a cool gadget. This camera is no ordinary camera. It can actually send videos wirelessly to an external device. That means that Rob can capture the world around him from his unique perspective and share it with others.

With his extraordinary new eye, Rob was given an incredible opportunity by Square Enix, a company famous for its video games. They asked him to create a documentary about cybernetics and prosthetics. The timing was perfect, as it coincided with the launch of the highly anticipated video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

Intrigued by the possibilities, Rob set off on a globetrotting adventure to meet other people who, like him, had embraced technology as a way to enhance their lives. He wanted to explore the future of cybernetics and prosthetics – to dive into the fascinating world of human-machine integration.

The Eyeborg Documentary is a must-see for anyone interested in this field. It’s a journey filled with wonder, curiosity, and a glimpse into what the future might hold. Join me and discover the amazing potential of technology and the human spirit.