Prosthesis Our Future Essay Example
Prosthesis Our Future Essay Example

Prosthesis Our Future Essay Example

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  • Pages: 1 (249 words)
  • Published: November 29, 2017
  • Type: Research Paper
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Recent advancements in robotics technology have led to the development of prosthetics that can imitate the natural movement of human legs. This breakthrough has the potential to improve the mobility of individuals who have had lower-limb amputations, reducing their risk of falling and relieving physical strain. Michael Goldfarb, a professor at Vanderbilt University's Center for Intelligent Mechatronics, shares this perspective and has been leading research on lower-limb prosthetics for the past decade. In an article published on Nov. 6 in Science Translational Medicine, Goldfarb emphasizes the significance of these technological advancements.

The first artificial leg with both powered knee and ankle joints, controlled by thought, has been developed by a team of researchers at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Goldfarb, Lawson, and Sh

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ultz discuss the technological advancements that have made robotic prostheses possible in their article. These advancements include lithium-ion batteries, powerful brushless electric motors with rare-Earth magnets, miniaturized sensors (such as accelerometers and gyroscopes) integrated into semiconductor chips, and low-power computer chips. Despite their small size and weight, these components can perform all the essential functions of a biological leg.

The robot's electric motors serve as its muscles, while the batteries store enough power for the legs to operate all day on a single charge. Similar to nerves in the peripheral nervous system, sensors play a crucial role by providing important data such as the angle between the thigh and lower leg and the force applied on the foot's bottom. Additionally, there is a microprocessor that...

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