Slashdot Mirror


Bluetooth Prosthetics Help US Marine To Walk Again

Like2Byte writes "CNN is reporting that a US Marine who lost both his legs in Iraq is now able to walk again by using bluetooth technology to coordinate his leg movement. The two legs communicate to keep the man in motion. ' [...] Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion. Bleill's set of prosthetics [legs] have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it's doing, how it's moving, whether walking, standing or climbing steps, for example.'"

17 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to him? by kwabbles · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will he reflex-kick me in the head?

    --
    Just disrupt the deflector shield with a tachyon burst.
  2. Bluetooth?! by LinuxGeek · · Score: 3, Informative

    I hope they don't fall down when they walk past a microwave oven. I know my bt headset drops info while talking around my microwave. I hope the final devices are a bit more robust.

    --

    Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. - Mark Twain
    1. Re:Bluetooth?! by KublaiKhan · · Score: 5, Informative

      I do know that there's a proposed standard for Bluetooth specifically for medical devices--there are some pacemakers and ICDs out there (most of 'em these days, I understand) that have bluetooth built into 'em so that the doctors can read information off of 'em without having to place electrodes and whatnot--and also so that they can patch the firmware, if necessary.

      This is why they're using bluetooth, I think, rather than something else--because it's already used for similar medical device communications.

      --
      In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
      A stately pleasure dome decree
  3. Re:What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to hi by snowraver1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe. All I know is that when he heats up his lunch in the microwave he starts dancing.

    --
    Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. This comment may not be copied in any way including, but not limited to caching.
  4. How long before this poor guy gets hacked? by Enleth · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just imagine - no need for cellphone shoot-em-up games when you can use this direction stick on the keyboard to control a real Marine with Bluetooth!

    --
    This is Slashdot. Common sense is futile. You will be modded down.
  5. I'm happy he can walk and all, but... by jafo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The last thing most of us need is one more damn thing that you need to keep charged.

    Hello, AAA? Yeah, I'm in the supermarket parking lot and I need a jump-start...

    Sean

  6. Re:What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to hi by antifoidulus · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't have bluetooth limbs and yet get the impulse to kick people who use bluetooth headsets in the head....

  7. Re:olympics by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 5, Funny

    Another fine gentalman that they will not allow to partisipate in the olympics. Yea, I couldn't participate either, and I have *real* legs. What the hell.
    --
    "I only speak the truth"
    Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
  8. Black Hats by martinmcc · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wouldn't be going to any black hat conventions if I was him.

  9. Wii? by IronMagnus · · Score: 4, Funny

    So... can we expect Nintendo to make a Wii soccer game for him?

  10. Re:What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to hi by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...people who use bluetooth headsets in the head....

    Yeah, I get creeped out when I hear people talking to themselves in the john, too.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  11. The Typical Day by vjmurphy · · Score: 4, Funny

    *walk* *walk* *walk*

    "Brain -> Legs: Bluetooth connection lost. Re-pairing"

    *trip*

    --
    Vincent J. Murphy
    Spandex Justice
  12. Re:Weird by Digital_Quartz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That was my initial reaction too. But, he lost his legs just above the knee, so the routing of the wire would either have to cross empty space somewhere, or else route up one leg, into the crotch of his trousers, and down the other leg. On the one hand, I can see either of those routings having issues, practical or comfort related. But still, seems like it would be worth it considering the advantages the wired version would give you in terms of reliability and battery longevity.

  13. Re:What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to hi by Stanistani · · Score: 5, Funny

    We need this technology where I work - the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

  14. Fire! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    From TFA:

    Because of built-in motors, the Bluetooth legs allow Bleill to walk longer before he tires.

    "We've compared walking several laps in both sets of legs and one, your legs come out burning and tired and these, you know, you sometimes are not even breaking a sweat yet."

    The only downside is when his new legs are burning, it's because they used sony batteries.
  15. Hmmmmm..... by IHC+Navistar · · Score: 3, Funny

    The chips send signals to the artificial joints via bluetooth?

    To FORWARD WALK, press 1.
    To FORWARD RUN, press 2.
    To BACKWARD WALK, press 3.
    To BACKWARD RUN, press 4.
    To KICK LEFT, press 5.
    To KICK RIGHT, press 6.
    To move SIDEWAYS LEFT, press 7
    To move SIDEWAYS RIGHT, press 8

    If you have fallen and can't get up, press 9. An Operator will be with you shortly. Please hold, your call is important to us. Calls will be answered in the order they are recieved. (plays "Runnin' With The Devil" as hold music).

    If controls fail to respond, press CTRL+ALT+DEL.

    --
    Knowing Google's lust for data collection, the Soviet Union is still alive and well inside the psyche of Sergey Brin....
  16. Help! Grommit! by spitzak · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's the wrong trousers, and they've gone wrong! Help!