Imagination: The Father of Technology

In the 1800s Jules Verne wrote about rockets that would go to the moon and submarines that would allow men to explore the vastness of the ocean. Back then who would have thought that going into space on a rocket or submarines would be a reality two centuries later?


Paul Hochman's Article

I just read an article by Paul Hochman titled “Bionic Legs, i-Limbs, and Other Super Human Prostheses You'll Envy”. I have to tell you that the future of prosthetics looks very promising; in fact so promising that it’s almost straight from a science fiction movie.


Prosthetics Researc and Development

Hochman’s article talks about all the research and development that is happening in the prosthetic industry. The article mentions companies like iWalk, which received $10 million to develop the PowerFoot One, which is supposed to be the “world’s first actively powered prosthetic ankle and foot”. Brown University’s Center for Restorative and Regenerative Medicine received $7 million in funding to add to the $7.2 million it received in 2004 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Another place that is receiving an injection of research and development funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) is New Hampshire-based DEKA Research to develop Luke, a powered prosthetic arm named after who else, Luke Skywalker, the Star Wars character who lost his hand to Darth Vader in that legendary light saber fight.


A New Era In The Prosthetic Industry

The article by Hochman then goes on about how all the research and development money combined with the constant breakthroughs in materials and processor speeds create the kind of environment suitable for bringing upon a new era in the prosthetic industry. A new era that brings with it social impact as well, because very soon we as a society are going to change the way we see people affected by limb loss, even people affected by limb loss are going to begin to change the way the see themselves!


Possible Impact in Society

Up until now to be affected by limb loss in this society carries the “disability” tag with it. However, that has the potential to change with the new developments from the prosthetic industry. We are talking about prosthetics that have the potential to restore full functionality to the user; perhaps even further than that of someone who is not affected by limb loss, while at the same time this new prosthetics are beautifully designed, one could say that as beautifully designed as the latest sports car or tech gadget.

How do you feel about the promising future of prosthetics? Would you be willing to have surgery on your residual limb for a new prosthetic that would further increase your functionality?

Click here for Paul Hochman’s article “Bionic Legs, i-Limbs, and Other Super Human Prostheses You'll Envy”.