Sunday, June 4, 2023
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

‘Revolution in Prosthetics’ reports advancements, future of prosthetics

by Army News Service
February 6, 2012
in Technology News
2 min read
0
‘Revolution in Prosthetics’ reports advancements, future of prosthetics
14
VIEWS

He sprints to the cone, pivots tight as a pin 90 degrees to the right and he’s off again. He churns his heels into the ground and pumps his arms as he races to the next cone, then drops to the ground and pumps out a dozen or so pushups before he’s up and running again.

The runner looks like a five-star football recruit trying out for the NFL, not a wounded warrior showing off his new ankle. But thanks to revolutionary advances in prosthetics, the Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran was declared fit for duty and returned to service.

He’s just one of the many success stories shared in videos at the “Revolution in Prosthetics” session Jan. 31, 2012 during the Military Health System Conference held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center at National Harbor, Md. Civilian researchers and Army physicians gathered at the sessions to discuss the progress and future of prosthetics for wounded warriors.

Mike McCoughlin, program manager at the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, or APL, described the Modular Prosthetic Limb, developed by the APL and almost 30 other organizations. The arm, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Revolutionizing Prosthetics project, has 26 degrees of freedom and near human-like dexterity. It allows wearers to shovel snow, throw a ball, golf, put on a sock, play the trumpet, carry heavy bags and even cook.

“The ability to turn the wrist 180 degrees really gets their attention,” said McCoughlin, as the video showed an amputee deftly dumping a cup of flour into a bowl.

Recent developments with the arm include “neural integration,” using small surgically implanted wireless devices — allowing the user to directly control the arm with his or her thoughts, just like a real arm. The arm is currently moving through the FDA approval process.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's "neurally integrated" Modular Prosthetic Limb will allow amputees to control movements directly with their thoughts --- just like a real arm.
It enabled one amputee to reach out and hold the hand of his girlfriend for the first time in seven years since his motorcycle crash.

The researchers have also made great strides developing braces for patients with functional limb loss, like a fused ankle — including better generation of power and shock absorption. The devices turn limpers into runners, joggers into sprinters and even allow some wounded service members to return to active duty.

“Published literature says you can’t run with a fused ankle, but these guys prove us wrong,” said Col. James Ficke, chairman of Brooke Army Medical Center, or BAMC, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. “It’s not the brace, it’s the human attached to the brace.”

The presenters also emphasized the success of amputation versus limb salvage. Twenty-two percent of amputees return to duty and experience less emotional distress than limb salvage patients. Thanks to a revolution in prosthetics, patients have better outcomes with amputation as opposed to reconstruction.

Ficke also highlighted the camaraderie and competitiveness of amputees, burn victims and other disabled veterans at the Center for the Intrepid, BAMC’s premiere research and rehabilitation center for Wounded Warriors.

“The (San Antonio) Spurs come to play wheelchair basketball with the patients and they stay until they win a game,” he said.

For every 30 service members returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, one is an amputee. Just since Jan. 1, 1,421 amputees have returned.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s goal is to create a fully functioning, in terms of both motor and sensory abilities, upper limb that responds to direct neural control within the next decade.

Tags: healthmedicineProstheticprosthetics
Previous Post

Cash-strapped Europe struggles to up military might

Next Post

Network modernization business practices allow Army to trim costs

Related Posts

Trump order targets Chinese internet giants TikTok, WeChat

TikTok hit with UK fine, Australia government ban

April 6, 2023

TikTok was dealt fresh setbacks Tuesday as Australia joined a list of Western nations banning the Chinese-owned apps from government...

Officials provide details on building the Space Force, its structure, and operating imperatives

Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ at 40: Battle of the satellites

March 23, 2023

Forty years after US president Ronald Reagan stunned the nation and world with his "Star Wars" plan to take nuclear...

Next Post
Army readies for next major network exercise

Network modernization business practices allow Army to trim costs

Latest Defense News

China made third-largest air incursion this year, says Taiwan

China would gain swift air superiority over Taiwan, US leaks show

April 19, 2023
china third aircraft carrier PLAN

China sends warships and aircraft around Taiwan for second day

April 8, 2023
Japan defence ministry seeks $50 billion budget

Japan changes rules to allow aid to foreign militaries

April 6, 2023
Trump order targets Chinese internet giants TikTok, WeChat

TikTok hit with UK fine, Australia government ban

April 6, 2023
Finland gears up for historic NATO decision

Long NATO delay spells trouble for Sweden and alliance: experts

April 6, 2023
Russia says fired anti-ship missiles at mock target in Sea of Japan

Russia says fired anti-ship missiles at mock target in Sea of Japan

March 28, 2023

Defense Forum Discussions

  • US Navy News and updates
  • NZDF General discussion thread
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • Royal Canadian Navy Discussions and updates
  • China - Geostrategic & Geopolitical.
  • Italian Army discussion and Update
  • The Royal Navy Discussions and Updates
  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • AI
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com