Advancements in Prosthetic Limbs

Prosthetics has always been part of most of our history, and it has come a long way since then. Forms of prosthetics date way back to the Civil War, and has made a lot of progress throughout the years. During the Civil War, many soldiers would have to be amputated everyday to save their lives. For example, in the text “I Will Not Get Out of Heart Yet,” it states that “Soldiers shot in the arm or leg on the battlefield were highly likely to develop potentially fatal infections, and the only way to prevent a painful death was to cut off the damaged body part.” Despite this fact, prosthetics were extremely uncomfortable to wear and were considered “crude contraptions” and “ were usually made of wood or steel --- that were awkward and painful to wear.” Many soldiers did not like having prosthetic limbs, as they were uncomfortable to wear and awkward to move around with.

The impact of amputation can have many emotional effects on amputees. Many amputees go through a period of low-self esteem and emotional adjustment after losing a limb. Some amputees view themselves of having a problem. This viewpoint is not relatively new, it has been the mindset of amputees for centuries. In the feudal era, knights often had prosthetics made into their armor to appear as if they had all their biological limbs. However, these prosthetics were virtually useless. These views that affected prosthetics can be easily seen today. Cosmesis is a type of prosthetic that can model real limbs with extreme detail such as skin color, freckles, and even hair. Besides the limitations of cosmesis, many amputees report that most people can not distinguish the prosthetic from the real limb (Bowers). Cosmesis is an ongoing study to provide amputees with a life-like prosthesis that offers function and mobility. The desire to gain independence and acceptance of the prosthesis may also influence the advancements of prosthetics.

According to Molly Schimdt and Victor Camacho there are more than 2million Americans living with the loss of a limb. Although this is an unfortunate event, there have been numerous professions and implementations to help these individuals matriculate through the process of being an amputee. Over time there has been a growing concern in regards to the elderly and their adaptation to learning. The occupational therapist at Kessler Institute for rehabilitation in Saddle Brook, New jersey have used methods, theories, and their own evidence based research to implement a program that is both client-centered and reliable, to allow adults with prosthetic limbs to adapt in a quicker time. Methods such as Kolb’s learning style intervention, the model

People have controlled prosthetic arms in many ways. Though this prosthetic arm, in particular, has twenty six joints, can curl up to twenty five pounds, and is controlled by the mind. This prosthetic arm was made in the John Hopkins University and can help people like Les Baugh who lost both arms as a teenager. Recently at age 59, he went through surgery at John Hopkins to remap

One of the solutions that Pro-sthetic Printers developed is a glove functioning as a prosthetic hand with a rechargeable source located in a “watch” compartment. There will be a number pad on the top of the hand, used to control the motions of the fingers. Each joint will have a number assigned to it, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The numbers can be pressed in specific sequences to trigger specific types of motion along the joints and grips. The grip can then be released by pressing a cancel button on the number pad. Our idea is to make a new version of the Glove One, which is a robotic glove that has the capabilities of a basic cell phone. This model will have a shape similar to the Glove One model and will also have a similar range of motion. The prosthetic shall be able to slide over the users palm, like a glove, and will have hollow finger protrusions. The hollow finger protrusions allow for the user’s remaining anatomic fingers to work together with the prosthetic fingers. Our model will have five fingers that can be programmed based on the user’s needs. There will also be a velcro strap across the palm to ensure that the prosthetic model will not slip off. The fingers of our model will have different joints so that the user can have a wide range of motion. Our prosthetic model will be able to do more complex motions than just the whole hand grasp, as seen in Figures 3,4 and 5.

reduce in the functionality of the prosthetic limbs, it also meant that the cost of prosthetic limbs was reduced. The reduction in the cost meant that almost everyone was now able to afford the price of a prosthetic limb, and it was no longer a privileged thing for the rich and powerful, though the prosthetic limbs of the rich and powerful were constructed primarily using more advanced materials.

From peg legs and hooks to mechanical arms and legs, prosthetics have improved drastically since the dawn of time. Prosthetics have allowed amputees to obtain more mobility and flexibility in their lives. The advancements in prosthetics have also led to a better understanding in the area of amputation and in the assembly of the prosthetics themselves. The question is what allowed the advancements of prosthetics to happen in the first place? The answer lies within technology and its role in the medical field. Technology has allowed for prosthetics to not only look like real limbs, but to function as though they are real. Progression in the fabrication of the prosthetic limbs from wood and leather, to now programmable microprocessor controls

The medical world is rapidly evolving. Go back just a 10 to 15 year we were still struggling with studying the human mind. Now we are trying to figure out how to alter a creature genetics, bring back a mammoth, and grow back limbs. However, before mankind can regrow limbs it still needs to make better prosthetics. I personally have been fascinated by robotic prosthetics for years because of my great-grandfather. I have done a little research on the topic, however, there is still a lot to know about it.

Prosthetic limbs have gotten much more advanced than the peg leg you see a pirate donning in a stereotypical Hollywood portrayal. They have advanced most noticeably in the past decade. The materials they are constructed from have gotten better, and they are becoming smarter and thus enabling greater dexterity and control on the part of the user. Many of them contain basic robotics elements and microchips. There is a foot from a company in Iceland that actually enables the wearer to feel sensations when pressure is applied against it such as when walking. The latest breakthrough is a bionic hand that gives the wearer the closest experience to a natural hand in terms of the movements and motions that can be made with it.

Prosthetic limbs have been around for centuries, but what is one thing they all have in common? They have all been a nuisance. In recent years technology of the modern day Prosthesis has ventured to new heights, but they have not perfected an artificial limb yet. With the amount of people in need of prosthetic limbs, the demand for a perfect prosthesis is tremendous. The perfect prosthesis shouldn’t feel or even look like an artificial limb. Prosthetics should go unnoticed throughout the rest of the amputee’s life.

My passion for the world of Prosthetics and Orthotics was sparked whilst serving with the Military in Afghanistan, where I was witness to the varying array of catastrophic injuries, caused by the conflict. Not only amongst my fellow Service Personnel, but also amongst the local populace.

Take a second, and imagine your life as a teenager, fresh out of college with, aspiring to get a degree in whatever your heart desires. You’ve got lots of ambition and potential. The world is at your fingertips; you can do anything you set your mind to. But one day, tragedy strikes and the unthinkable happens: you lose a limb. Why is not important, but what the future entails is. Let’s say this limb is your right arm, the one you have used all your life to write, eat, type and play the guitar. Now let’s change the scenario a little bit. Instead you’ve lost your legs in a horrific car accident where both were crushed under the weight of the dashboard as your car collided with the 4x4 in front of you. You wake up the next day in the hospital groggy, barely remembering what happened. Shock is the only thing running through your mind the moment you look down to see your legs missing. Your brain thinks they’re still there because yesterday you were just getting out of bed for your morning jog. All that remains are the stubs where your legs used to be and the unbearable thought of being confined to a motorized chair for the rest of your life.

such as static prosthesis, simple artificial limbs like peg legs which do not enable the person

There are over 11.4 million amputees worldwide in need of prosthetic limbs. Traditional methods of producing prosthetics limit availability due to cost and durability. While the technology is still very new and not well developed, 3D-printing is the future of prosthetic limbs. 3D-printed prosthetic limbs may be printed with different materials, and provide quick production with a lower cost, which can increase the availability of prosthetic limbs to more amputees.

Biomaterial is a material used for medical purposes (device) intended to act upon each other with biological mechanisms and systems. These materials are used to produce bio medical devices which are replaced with defected part or organ of the living body, more safely and more economically to treat the patients. Biomaterials stems are used to treat many diseases, conditions and injuries wounds with many therapies and medical procedures. They can also be replaced with failed body parts like hip and heart. Spinal rod are used to correct abnormalities many devices are used to improve function pacemaker, stent, they also helps in healing purposes like drug release pharmaceutical effects. They do not chemically react with the body parts and tissues and do not affect them, are nontoxic and have different type of reliabilities and time periods