Artificial limbs or Prosthetics are an area of medical realm where artificial limbs are researched and developed. In the last 10 years, this field has advanced much and we have seen numerous developments being put to practical use.
See all around you and you’ll notice how misfortunate ones and war veterans are being fitted with these limbs and they are enjoying a good life. These allow them to do normal tasks driving, eating, playing and even jumping.
What Are They?
Prosthetic limbs were first developed for war veterans. Soldiers who had lost their limbs during combats were given these limbs when they returned home. However, they were pretty basic and performed less functions.
Slowly, the technology trickled down to the private players and we saw this been developed as a whole new field. These artificial limbs are helping people undertake leisurely as well as recreational activities.
Developments till the Current Period
Clumsy prosthetic devices have evolved from mere moveable or rudimentary limbs to sophisticated limbs. The transformation has led to the emergence of new and improved prosthetic or artificial limbs. Let’s discuss the latest developments in this field.
Digital Artificial Limbs
- Earlier, the prosthetics were basically made from mechanical components.
- Nowadays, digital technology is being integrated into the limbs. These limbs have robotic capabilities.
- There are circuits in the limbs that can access and derive movements from the electrical impulses in the body.
- This lets the user experience natural joint movement. The amputee can even control the sensation levels in the equipment.
- The electrical signals can be stored in the limb’s memory so that a doctor can access them later on.
- Robotic devices integrated within the artificial limbs have built-in digital technology allowing amputees to make subtle limb movements.
- The use of digital technology in the limb manufacturing process has evolved considerably.
- Recently, researchers are working on another type of limb. This limb will be computerized and have digital technology that will access the brain’s neuronal impulses in the brain to direct movements.
- Also, fundamental orientation of the body can also be improved in case of accidental victims. This holds a lot of promises for people maimed by amputation.
Military/Intelligence Developments
Back in 2002, a group headed by John Chapin (from the State University of New York) integrated electrodes into the brains of rats. These rats were then controlled according to the electrical impulses fed to the chips.
The rats were tested to seek bombs and explosives in emergency situations. This experiment gave headway to the researchers on how to combine artificial limbs with brain’s electrical impulses.
Military implications of this field are focused on both amputees and performance enhancements.
Exo-skeletal suits are being developed that amplify the joint/muscle power of the user. These suits have same joint and muscle structure as humans but are electrically controlled and have much more power that their human counterparts.
Artificial Limbs Attachment
- Artificial limbs, arms and legs, can be attached to the humans in two ways.
- One non-invasive involves creating a stump/mould the size of amputee’s broken arm/leg and then fitting the broken area into the mould.
- This is the procedure used size decades. This however, has a disadvantage that the artificial limb has to be replaced once amputee has grown or the surrounding region of the broken surface has witnessed growth.
- These are low-cost alternatives for amputee to attain working limbs.
Another method involves the integration of the limb into the amputee’s brain. In this latest method, the bone is cut and a titanium end plate of the artificial limb is fixed in the cut region.
The process is called Osseo-integration and takes about six months to settle comfortably. Its main advantage is the increased control. The amputee is, at all times, aware of the movement of the artificial limb and its joint control.
Cybernetic Limbs
This is perhaps the largest market of artificial limbs. Synthetic limbs are an integral part of knee and hip replacement surgeries. In the last few years, the modern knee development is spearing ahead.
Currently, we have knees that can be synchronized with body’s natural motion. An arm being developed under the name “Luke Arm” (inspired from Star Wars Luke character) has the ability to be controlled using body’s natural muscles and nerves.
Recently, in 2009, an Australian woman was provided the world’s first fully-functional artificial finger. The limb had the ability to grip and curl. And the best part was that natural nerve endings were used in the process.
Artificial limbs or Prosthetics are an area of medical realm where artificial limbs are researched and developed. In the last 10 years, this field has advanced much and we have seen numerous developments being put to practical use.
See all around you and you’ll notice how misfortunate ones and war veterans are being fitted with these limbs and they are enjoying a good life. These allow them to do normal tasks driving, eating, playing and even jumping.
What Are They?
Prosthetic limbs were first developed for war veterans. Soldiers who had lost their limbs during combats were given these limbs when they returned home. However, they were pretty basic and performed less functions.
Slowly, the technology trickled down to the private players and we saw this been developed as a whole new field. These artificial limbs are helping people undertake leisurely as well as recreational activities.
Developments till the Current Period
Clumsy prosthetic devices have evolved from mere moveable or rudimentary limbs to sophisticated limbs. The transformation has led to the emergence of new and improved prosthetic or artificial limbs. Let’s discuss the latest developments in this field.
Digital Artificial Limbs
Military/Intelligence Developments
Back in 2002, a group headed by John Chapin (from the State University of New York) integrated electrodes into the brains of rats. These rats were then controlled according to the electrical impulses fed to the chips.
The rats were tested to seek bombs and explosives in emergency situations. This experiment gave headway to the researchers on how to combine artificial limbs with brain’s electrical impulses.
Military implications of this field are focused on both amputees and performance enhancements.
Exo-skeletal suits are being developed that amplify the joint/muscle power of the user. These suits have same joint and muscle structure as humans but are electrically controlled and have much more power that their human counterparts.
Artificial Limbs Attachment
Another method involves the integration of the limb into the amputee’s brain. In this latest method, the bone is cut and a titanium end plate of the artificial limb is fixed in the cut region.
The process is called Osseo-integration and takes about six months to settle comfortably. Its main advantage is the increased control. The amputee is, at all times, aware of the movement of the artificial limb and its joint control.
Cybernetic Limbs
This is perhaps the largest market of artificial limbs. Synthetic limbs are an integral part of knee and hip replacement surgeries. In the last few years, the modern knee development is spearing ahead.
Currently, we have knees that can be synchronized with body’s natural motion. An arm being developed under the name “Luke Arm” (inspired from Star Wars Luke character) has the ability to be controlled using body’s natural muscles and nerves.
Recently, in 2009, an Australian woman was provided the world’s first fully-functional artificial finger. The limb had the ability to grip and curl. And the best part was that natural nerve endings were used in the process.