MIT Prof Predicts the End of Disabilities In Next 50 Years

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.'"

Comments

And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[crazyjj]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[Sir_Sri]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[Qzukk]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[Baloroth]

We always seem to be right on the edge of every amputee having bionic limbs.

Have we? I mean, true bionic limbs require tactile feedback, which in turn requires some kind of biological-machine interface. We are getting closer to it, but I wouldn't say we are anywhere near being on the edge of that (even now). Without that kind of feedback, even a sophisticated robotic limb is pretty well worthless, since you won't be able to use it for all that much. Granted, for someone without a hand, even that limited use is an improvement. The real problem isn't creating a robot hand or limb: the problem is controlling it. Simple motions are possible: complex ones, such as moving individual fingers on it, are not, and until we get that, losing a limb will always be a major disability.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

If they wanted active limbs they'd pull themselves up by their remaining bootstrap.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[jeffb (2.718)]

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

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[glop]

Actually, Wired has an article on this this month. And it turns out the classic hooks is still better in some respects and are preferred for some occasions where strength, speed and feedback are best.
I suppose when you are outside your home (i.e. where people can see you and gather anecdotal statistics as the ones we discuss), you might want the most reliable, fast and simple gear.
So some of the people we see with old style gear might have more advanced prostheses at home or at work for tasks that benefit from them.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[jamstar7]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[Sir_Sri]

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.

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[AlienIntelligence]

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.

I was thinking the same thing... what an asinine thing to say.
And that's literally the way he said it too.

Guy loses both of his legs... and he thinks that is the only
type of 'disability' out there. He's obviously not the ego-free
individual we want leading the march.

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

While I agree with you intrinsically... you do realize, it's not
that easy? Additionally, you do realize that a soldier is a
soldier for a reason. To fight in wars. They do not join without
the concept of death.

I was going to go in as an EOD Specialist, cause I have some
unresolved adrenaline issues and a poorly formed executive
center in the brain... =) but... the thought and reality of being
randomly shot, rather than blown up... poured cold water on
that. I made a choice.

Any soldier can, before becoming a GI. We are not under draft.

As far as I know... there is no other cause of war, besides greed.

So your statement then is, "Stop being greedy".

Good luck with that.

-AI

Re:And flying cars and moon bases too, yeah, yeah

[AlienIntelligence]

you might want the most reliable, fast and simple gear.
So some of the people we see with old style gear might have more
advanced prostheses at home or at work for tasks that benefit from them.

I was a manager for a graphic arts publication, my lead graphic artist,
had an articulating hook in place of one forearm. Let me repeat... my
LEAD artist. He was faster than everyone else and had the least amount
of mistakes. Regardless of whether he pushed extra hard to be as good
as anyone... he was. And he was not handicapped or disabled in any way.

Here's to ya José! Thanks for all the copy.

-AI

The end of disability?

[mcgrew]

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

Re:The end of disability?

[mcgrew]

I already have a defective part swapped out. I got a steroid-induced cataract in my left eye, and its lens was replaced with a CrystaLens, which sits on struts and can actually focus. After wearing thick glasses all my life I now need no corrective lenses at all, not even reading glasses -- and I'm 60.

You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile? You'll BEG to be assimilated.

Hmm...

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

I'm inclined to wonder whether the roboticists will manage to crack their problem before team "you grew the leg once, now grow it again" manages to get their pet stem cells from turning into hideous doom cancer all the time...

I'm also inclined to wonder what the outcome will be if we manage to crack the (highly complex; but comparatively simple) mechanical problem of replacing the function of limbs; but still have a load of people running around with neural problems, whether inborn or caused by concussive damage and the like. Robotics is hard; but it appears to be very nearly a toy problem compared to neurology.

Re:Hmm...

[MozeeToby]

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."