Prosthetic Devices
Prosthetic Devices
A prosthetic is an artificial body part that replaces a missing or non-functioning body part such as an arm, heart or breast. Humans have been making prosthetic limbs since the Ancient Egyptians to replace limbs lost during battle, work or just by mistake. Evidence has been found of Egyptians trying to replicate toes with copper ones. Although these were very impractical as they were solid and so were mostly for aesthetic purposes. In the 1400s, prosthetics arms made out of iron were available to wealthy Knights and lords. These arms had a relatively useful function as they were made to hold shields, allow them to open their purse and/or sign their name. As well as for function, prosthetic limbs are also developed for aesthetic purposes as people want to look normal and not attract stares or whispers.
Prosthetic Arms
Modern prosthetic devices have advanced a great deal since ancient times. Now, some very complicated robotic limbs are available that can detect the electrical impulse that would normally move your arm and replicate this movement robotically. Robotics in prosthetic devices is seen mostly in robotic arms because of the nature of the movement of fingers and the thumb. Advancements in the processors used in myoelectric (robotic) arms has allowed for artificial limbs to make fine-tuned movements with the prosthetic. This is extremely significant as previously robotic arms had only one or two movements such as closing the thumb to the hand to hold things. Modern fine-tuned arms can have up to 7 movements and it is likely that they will advance to have even more movements than a human hand.
A future advancement that is being researched and developed is the addition of a sense of touch that would be able to detect, and then relay to the brain the amount of pressure being applied. It is currently being experimented to add small pods filled with a highly compressible liquid at the end of each finger. Inside each of these pods would
A prosthetic is an artificial body part that replaces a missing or non-functioning body part such as an arm, heart or breast. Humans have been making prosthetic limbs since the Ancient Egyptians to replace limbs lost during battle, work or just by mistake. Evidence has been found of Egyptians trying to replicate toes with copper ones. Although these were very impractical as they were solid and so were mostly for aesthetic purposes. In the 1400s, prosthetics arms made out of iron were available to wealthy Knights and lords. These arms had a relatively useful function as they were made to hold shields, allow them to open their purse and/or sign their name. As well as for function, prosthetic limbs are also developed for aesthetic purposes as people want to look normal and not attract stares or whispers.
Prosthetic Arms
Modern prosthetic devices have advanced a great deal since ancient times. Now, some very complicated robotic limbs are available that can detect the electrical impulse that would normally move your arm and replicate this movement robotically. Robotics in prosthetic devices is seen mostly in robotic arms because of the nature of the movement of fingers and the thumb. Advancements in the processors used in myoelectric (robotic) arms has allowed for artificial limbs to make fine-tuned movements with the prosthetic. This is extremely significant as previously robotic arms had only one or two movements such as closing the thumb to the hand to hold things. Modern fine-tuned arms can have up to 7 movements and it is likely that they will advance to have even more movements than a human hand.
A future advancement that is being researched and developed is the addition of a sense of touch that would be able to detect, and then relay to the brain the amount of pressure being applied. It is currently being experimented to add small pods filled with a highly compressible liquid at the end of each finger. Inside each of these pods would