Game-Changing Prosthetics

Artificial limbs have come a long way from the earliest incarnations, which were made from wood, iron, copper or steel. Today, patients are being fitted with prosthetics made of lightweight materials including carbon fiber, lamination and titanium, as well as high-tech components, such as robotics, bio-sensors and microprocessor knees and feet. Such versions are basically controlled by an internal computer, which is able to know exactly how the wearer is moving. These prosthetics can be charged at night when you take them off, similar to how you charge a cell phone.

Imagine having a prosthetic leg with a microprocessor knee or ankle that has internal Wi-Fi capability. It’s not futuristic science; it’s here now. This technology not only allows the leg to function more like a real leg when walking on uneven surfaces, but adjustments can be made by a technician off-site. There are even sport-specific feet—think of the “blades” you see Paralympians competing on—such as the Flex-Foot Cheetah.

Upper-limb amputees may also take advantage of cutting-edge technology with myoelectric hands. Often described as “bionic” hands, these include prosthetic hands such as i-limb and bebionic. Prosthetic hands can use muscle signals in the patient’s residual limb through electrodes that are placed on their skin or implanted into their muscles. When the patient contracts those muscles, the electrodes send signals to a microprocessor in the hand, telling it to open or close.

Multi-articulating myoelectric hands like bebionic offer a variety of different grip patterns and hand positions, so the user can handle tasks such as eating, typing, carrying bags and shaking hands.

Prosthetics that can be controlled by the user’s thoughts are currently in development and will likely be available in the next few years. Researchers are also studying robotic exoskeletons that may give “superhuman” strength to the user.