Metal Nanobumps For Better Artificial Body Parts

Roland Piquepaille writes "Everybody seems concerned these days by the risks associated with the use of nanotechnologies. So I'm pleased to report that Purdue engineers have proven that metal nano-bumps could improve artificial body parts, such as hips or knees. They based their theory on a simple fact. Surface bumps on conventional alloys used in prostheses are in the micron range, while they are ten times smaller in natural bones, around 100 nanometers. They thought a reduction of the size of these bumps in the prostheses would also reduce the risk of rejection by the body. They limited their experiments to petri dishes, but showed that adherence of new body cells to their new metal alloys was dramatically better than with existing alloys. Ssveral years will pass before improved artificial hips come to market. But the needs are growing. This overview contains more details and references."

Comments

Needs growing?

[Cynical Troll]

The needs for artificial hips are growing? I can't tell whether this means that there are more old people living upstairs now than ever before, or that people are now wanting to replace other damaged body parts with artificial hips o_O

Re:Needs growing?

[Anonymous Coward]

I think it mostly because space robots are gaining popularity.

Re:That's great and all...

[Anonymous Coward]

that url didnt work for me...???

It's Elvis, you know.

[AtariAmarok]

"The needs for artificial hips are growing"

It's all driven by Elvis, you know. He's approaching 70, and all those old ladies at the Sunny Rest Retirement Home (conveniently located near that Kalamazoo Burger King) keep asking him to swivel his hips and sing Hound Dog. Ever the entertainer, Elvis always obliges, and keeps wearing out hip sets.

nanoscale != nanotechnology

[zero_offset]

I wish slashdot posters would stop playing Ace Reporter and just link to the story with a clean synopsis. If you're concerned about nanotech, that doesn't mean you're universally freaked out by things merely because they are small. Just because both words start with "nano" doesn't mean they're always synonymous.

It's like saying "Engineers are concerned by the risks of exposure to electric current, so I'm pleased to report that IBM has proven that electrons can be used to build a microscope."

Thanks, Ace.

Re:nanoscale != nanotechnology

[Anonymous Coward]

If you're concerned about nanotech, that doesn't mean you're universally freaked out by things merely because they are small.

Speak for yourself freak! I'm afraid of midgets.

Lack of OT posts?

[Anonymous Coward]

There seems to be a serious lack of OT posts in here. I see troll after troll.. Scary stuff. I have to say that this sounds like a really good advancement. Probably about the time they've got it worked out perfectly lots of the posters here (/.) will be needing a replacement (too much sitting at t a computer).

Finally

[Yanray]

This will solve the last of the problems in creating my cybernetic army of super mutants.

Re:Finally

[mikelu]

So you mean you already have the FEV virus?!? ...
Can I have a sample?

Job Security

[RealErmine]

Ssveral [sic] years will pass before improved artificial hips come to market. But the needs are growing.

And if the market for improved hips doesn't grow as expected they can always hire a goon squad to artificially inflate demand.

Nanotech

[jonathan_the_ninja]

Everyone's fear is predicated upon their Star Trek experience, I think.

Re:Nanotech

[Major_Small]

if you read Prey, you might actually be scared of nanotechnology... I was for a little while...

Re:Nanotech

[Anonymous Coward]

if you read Prey, you might actually be scared of nanotechnology... I was for a little while...

If you had some intelligence, you would worry about something else. There is no threat from nanotechnology.

Fact: Political theories and movements have caused the deaths of hundreds of millions of people.
- why aren't the protesters demanding the closing of poli sci departments? They are dangerous.

Fact: Belief in the superiority of your religion have caused the deaths of millions of people.
- why aren't the protesters demanding the closing of houses of worship? They are dangerous.

Stop getting all your ideas from star trek and join the real world.

Re:Nanotech

[Anonymous Coward]

i do demand the closing of houses or worship

fscking chreestians...and all the rest.

i think we'll let the bhuddists off the hook - when was the last time you saw an angry bhuddist?

Re:That's great and all...

[Anonymous Coward]

This technology is nanotechnology, but isn't the nano-machinery that will take over the world someday. I don't think you need to worry about it.

This will make a lot of people's lives better; as it stands artificial joints aren't even close to being as durable and effective as their natural counterparts. Afterall, the finest nanotechnology has thus far been the sole purview of mother nature.

I hope you never need a joint replaced -- tinfoil won't make a very good hip. Sorry.

All kidding aside, please.

[geekwench]

Yes, people are living longer, and thus seeing the need for more joint replacement surgeries. More; and, sadly, more frequent, due to rejection problems. I can't imaging being a halfway compassionate surgeon, having to tell an otherwise healthy and active 55-year-old that the best she can expect from her new knee is 10 years, tops, before they have to do the procedure all over again. This discovery has the potential to make repeat surgeries a thing of the past. However, the folks for whom this is absolutely fsking fantastic news are the people like me, and a couple of good acquaintances, who have congenital joint deformities.

One gal has gone through her second complete hip replacement. Why? Because the first one rejected. She's not even 40. I was born mostly missing one hip socket. I got lucky; the socket finally grew deep enough to work, but I could still be staring down the edge of a scalpel in the future. And if I'm going to go through the 6 - 9 damn months that it usually takes to get mobile again, I'm going to want that new joint to outlast me, if at all possible.
Add in things like injuries that can't be corrected by arthroscopic surgery, compound or crush fractures, bone-lengthening surgeries for deformed limbs, and a host of other skeletal problems, and I'd say that this research stands to make life better for a whole lot of people out there. IMNSGDHO.

OT: Don't let bhuddists off the hook either

[Anonymous Coward]

i think we'll let the bhuddists off the hook - when was the last time you saw an angry bhuddist?

I believe that Bhutan, a bhuddist buffer country between India and China, has the something like the second highest proportion of outbound refugees in the world. I think the largest is Israel, if you count the Palestinians, who mostly consider themselves to nationals of a separate country anyhow.