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We have
chosen to research how robotics can be used to assist in the
advancement of the design of prosthetics. Some of the
questions we will explore through this research are: How do
prosthetics help people get around and
do they improve social interaction? Economically, are
robotic prosthetics a reasonable solution for amputees? What are
some of the cutting edge ways robotics are being used to
improve peoples lives? Can Nanotechnology be helpful
in assisting future amputees with the operation of their
prostheses, giving them more mobility and proprioceptive
feeling? There
are many people, just in the United States, that need a
prosthetic device to replace a limb they have lost.
There are many circumstances under which people might lose
their limbs. "About 55,000
amputations are performed in this country each year for
circulatory disease alone, and approximately one in every
200 people in this country has lost a limb" (Mooney, 2003).
|
Table 1.0 Persons Living with Limb
Loss, 1996* |
|
Age Group
|
Frequency |
|
< 18 years
|
70,000
|
|
18 – 44 years
|
293,000
|
|
45 – 64 years
|
305,000 |
|
65 – 74 years
|
395,000 |
|
75+ years
|
223,000 |
|
Gender
|
|
|
Male
|
893,000 |
|
Female
|
392,000 |
|
National Health Interview
Survey (1996) |
According to the National Limb
Loss Information Center (2002), there were 1.2 million
people in the United States, who were missing a limb in
1996. Those missing a limb often lose some of their
mobility and the freedom that comes with mobility.
Prosthetics can help those who
have lost a limb to regain their mobility and autonomy.
For example, Roena Greuel, a female amputee, is now able to walk long distances
at her work as well as take care of her two young sons
thanks to her prosthesis, called a C-leg, which was developed by Scott Sabolich Prosthetics and Research center. The
computerized inner-workings of the prosthesis are so sensitive that they will
adjust to a different pair of shoes or even a crack in the sidewalk (Jones, 2002). New advances in robotic
prosthetics improve the lives of people like Roena.
For these reasons, it is
important to continue researching how to improve the design
of prosthetic devices so as to better the lives of those who
need them. We believe that current research in robotic
prosthetics is working to achieve this goal.
Furthermore, we believe that the exciting prospect of Nano-technology
may further advance this field in years to come.
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