Cybernetic Prosthetics for Amputees

A. J. Perkins writes "Returning amputees from Iraq are getting computer-driven artifical limbs allowing greater balance and mobility. These futuristic limbs have hydraulic pumps visible through its clear plastic shell. They are loaded with an on-board CPU and rechargable batteries. The Utah3 Arm, which allows simultaneous motion in the elbow, hand and wrist, offering movement old prosthetics could not. These are coupled with the SensorSpeedHand, which has electronic sensors in the fingertips that make it easier to grip objects. The C-Leg monitors motion 50 times per second to assist with balance."

Comments

You are ignorant

[gregm]

There are 2 types of diabetes Type 1 which is sometimes also refered to as juvenile diabetes and usually strikes children. My step-son came down with it when he was 3 and it's not because he was fat slob who sat on his ass all day eating candy. Translated it wasn't preventable.

I get so sick and tired if ignorant people whining about their wimpy little Type 2 diabetes and worrying about the possibility of having to give themselves injections. My step son has been doing that for years (actually he's on an insulin pump now which is a wonderful thing). Plus the type 2 people like to try to swap war stories with my stepson (he's now 19). His body produces 0 insulin and was a real treat to deal with through puberty.

I also have an Uncle who was one of te most fit and active people I know... he came down with Type 2 diabetes when he was 60.

So let's not be spreading this "wholly preventable" FUD as it's not true in all cases.

As cool as the tech is...

[SealBeater]

I bet that he would rather have his leg back.

SealBeater

As a prosthetist...

[soulee]

All I can say, is shame on this administration.

Now please, don't get me wrong. We in the field are enjoying the publicy and the chance to show off the advancements of the past fews years. And yes, the advancements in prosthetics technology are slow due to funding and lack of research. But what I'm more concerned about is the need for people like me in this war.

Honestly, when this war began many of us in the industry recieved notices about new patients arriving in as new amputees and we were being asked to write manuals for surgery procedures that are archaic! And endorse the use of out-dated concepts.

It's appauling the way these troops are being handled. They are not recieving optimal surgeries such as the ERTL procedure. Nor are they all recieving C-legs and Utah-arms. Do you have any idea how much these costs?! No. Not every solider will be getting one and if they did, watch your insurance rates skyrocket. It's just not realistic.

All I'm saying is that, thank you for the publicity but you are being lied to. This is not what is honestly happening at clinics. This is a poster pin up to make you feel better about the war and the injuries.

Re:Good and Bad

[nagora]

The best way to avoid wars is to make it clear to all the Saddams and Hitlers that tyranny isn't an accepted form of government, anywhere. Such rulers should be removed from power, using the necessary force.

Perhaps, then, America shouldn't hire people like Saddam to assassinate leaders, and put them in place once the old leader is dead. Perhaps, then, Donald Rumsfeld shouldn't sell people like Saddam biological weapons of mass destruction and perhaps, then, people like George Bush shouldn't send "experts" in to help with the "calibration" of those weapons. Perhaps, in fact, tracing the history of Iraq back to 1919 is simply a handy way of ignoring the actual and immediate fact that these soldiers are dying for a government which caused the problem in Iraq and who decided to attack it on the feeble pretext of the War on Terror in order to, as Wolfowitz's said, secure America's economic future (ie, oil).

A little less pointing the finger at long dead people and their wars and a little more pointing it at the people in power today who are sacrificing their people for money today might help fix this mess.

TWW