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MIT Prof Predicts the End of Disabilities In Next 50 Years

Posted by samzenpus on from the gentlemen-we-can-rebuild-him dept.

judgecorp writes "MIT professor Hugh Herr describes how technology can end disability in 50 years — with a big incentive from the need to support injured war veterans. A champion climber, Herr lost both legs below the knee, returned to climbing and designed improved climbing prostheses. From the article: 'Herr believes the work he is doing won’t just have humanitarian benefits. There’s money to be made too. And if there’s a market here, it means more people will receive help. Despite all the horrors and injustices the Iraq and Afghanistan wars spawned, they have helped make the biomechatronics industry a lot more viable. Back in 2007, Herr gave Garth Stewart, a 24-year-old Army veteran who lost his left leg below the knee during the conflict in Iraq, a bionic ankle. It used tendon-like springs and an electric motor to provide support for Stewart.'"

9 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I predict that 50 years from now, we'll realize that all long-term predictions made in 2012 turned out to be wrong.

    As for the bionic limb prediction specifically, I've been hearing that my whole life. We always seem to be right on the edge of every amputee having bionic limbs. And yet decade after decade passes and, with the exception of a few prototypes here and there along the way, they all still seem to be wearing the same basic hooks and passive limbs that they've had forever (albeit much improved and lighter versions). Steve Austin, with his bionic limbs, is like a mirage that's always just up ahead--but never seems to actually get any closer.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
    1. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by Sir_Sri · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Apparently, despite all of the people who are injured in road accidents, left over land mines, general mishaps that befall the population etc, the key to moving technology forward is to have 30 or 40 000 soldiers injured.

    2. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes and Motor Neurones, Spinabifida, MS and a whole load of other conditions aren't disabilities now.

      The MIT guy is talking about one small part of a massive group of conditions.

      Heres a cheaper and easier way to end disabilities from wars... Stop sending soldiers into war over other people's greed.

    3. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by Qzukk · · Score: 5, Insightful

      they all still seem to be wearing the same basic hooks and passive limbs that they've had forever

      That's what their insurance covers.

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    4. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Perhaps the key is to have 30 or 40 000 amputees with a health-care plan that isn't dedicated to maximizing profits.

      /ducks and runs

    5. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by jamstar7 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      they all still seem to be wearing the same basic hooks and passive limbs that they've had forever

      That's what their insurance covers.

      And therein lies the problem. Anything more expensive than the basics, and the insurance companies weasel about paying for it. Medical insurance companies are still for-profit companies, and any payments come off the bottom line. Even with the unnecessary 'bailout' that the so-called 'Obamacare' legislation jammed down our throats, healthcare in the US hasn't been determined by qualified medical professionals (i.e., 'doctors') in decades, it's been determined by beancounters. For some serious giggles, google up the profits of the health care insurance companies and see for yourself.

      --
      Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
    6. Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah by Sir_Sri · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, that wouldn't do it, because the civilized world have health plans not dedicated to maximizing profits and we don't have some magical solutions either.

      It's all politics, the US especially but others generally are willing to invest a huge amount into R&D for soldiers who get injured, but many thousands more people who suffer similar problems every year seem to not get the same priorities.

  2. The end of disability? by mcgrew · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't see any indication that spinal cord or brain injuries or birth defects will be gone in fifty years.

    --
    Free Martian Whores!
  3. Re:Hmm... by MozeeToby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm inclined to wonder what people will do given the choice between a truly advanced robotic prosthesis and regrowing a limb.

    "Well Mr Johnson, we can fit you with a robotic hand with full tactile feedback via a 2 way neural link, wireless charging (though a mat that we put under your mattress), and have you back to 90% functional with a couple weeks training and therapy and greater than before your accident long term. Of course, as technology improves we can upgrade your arm accordingly. We even offer a "utility" mode with greater than human strength, durability, and dexterity, though for safety reasons this is disabled through limiters during normal use.

    Or, we can give you a series of treatments to regrow you arm. It'll be a long, and probably painful process as the bones and muscles regrow. You'll need months, if not years of physical therapy to tone the muscles and strengthen the joints. But in the end, you'll have an arm that is actually "you" in every way, right down to the genetic level (minus a few tweaks we made to make the arm grow in faster).

    The choice is yours."