New Prosthetic Leg Attaches Directly to the Bone
Despite the fact that scientists have made very significant progress in the development of prosthetic limbs direction, the vast majority of people who have lost their real and an artificial limb prostheses are not able to recover their former mobility. However, in medicine may soon be a new and more cybernetic way to solve this problem. Scientists from London created an artificial leg, which is not put on the injured limb, and is directly connected to human bone.
The so-called technology Itap involves the installation of a metal implant straight to the end of the bone lost limbs. Metallic implant extends under the skin and attached to an artificial foot, creating a direct connection between the prosthesis and the body. Due to this, the person who has lost a limb, not only will be able to avoid problems with irritation caused by wearing conventional prosthesis, but literally across the prosthesis feel what was happening to his artificial leg. New prosthesis has an amazing level of feedback of tactile feedback. The price of all this, of course, will be that after installation of the implantable prosthesis it can not be removed. It will become part of your body.
"Now I know where my leg. The possibility of realizing this increased many times, because now I can feel it through your bones, "- says Mark O'Leary, one of the first 20 volunteers who participate in clinical trials of new technology.
"Crossing the textured surface, now I can feel it. With a conventional prosthesis is absolutely impossible, but with Itap you can feel everything. He actually gave me back my leg. "
Portal Popular Science was able to find out some very interesting details about the technology. One of these details is that the developers were inspired by technology inspired by the features and functions of antlers. To avoid the possibility of rejection of the metal body of the implant, the researchers have designed it so that it was as porous as antlers in those places where they are connected to the skull. This porosity allows the soft tissues of the body more naturally connected to the hard tissue implant.
It should be noted that, despite the great success, all this while does not mean that the technology Itap tomorrow may appear in medical practice prosthetics. Scientists note that required further research and address some of the legal issues. And yet, a few lucky Itap was able to make life easier.
