Prosthetic Robotics

Welcome to Prosthetic Robotics. With increased regularity, humans are merging with our own technology. In order for a robotic prosthetic limb to work, it must have several components to integrate it into the body’s function. Biosensors detect signals from the user’s nervous or muscular systems. It then relays this information to a controller located inside the device, and processes feedback from the limb and actuator (e.g., position, force) and sends it to the controller. Mechanical sensors process aspects affecting the device (e.g., limb position, applied force, load) and relay this information to the biosensor or controller.

The controller is connected to the user’s nerve and muscular systems and the device itself. It sends intention commands from the user to the actuators of the device, and interprets feedback from the mechanical and biosensors to the user.

Within science fiction, and, more recently, within the scientific community, there has been consideration given to using advanced prostheses to replace healthy body parts with artificial mechanisms and systems to improve function. The morality and desirability of such technologies are being debated. Body parts such as legs, arms, hands, feet, and others can be replaced.

In early 2008, Oscar Pistorius (see picture) was briefly ruled ineligible to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics because his prosthetic limbs were said to give him an unfair advantage over runners who had ankles. One researcher found that his limbs used twenty-five percent less energy than those of an able-bodied runner moving at the same speed. This ruling was overturned on appeal, with the appellate court stating that the overall set of advantages and disadvantages of Pistorius’ limbs had not been considered. Pistorius did not qualify for the South African team for the Olympics, but went on to sweep the 2008 Summer Paralympics, and has been ruled eligible to qualify for any future Olympics. Thank you for visiting and supporting Prosthetic Robotics.          

Robotics in the Medical Industry

Robotics in the Medical Industry

The medical industry is one of the sectors that benefit from the use of robots. One would think that with a gloomy economy as backdrop, the medical industry would hold back in terms of robotics investments but this sector shows no signs of slowing down. More and more equipment and applications are being developed to cater specifically to the medical market. In turn, other industries related to the medical sciences are gradually increasing their allocations for robotics systems schemes. Precision is highly important in life-saving devices and medical research. Robotics is seen as a viable tool for ensuring that these industries continue to efficiently safeguard public health. Research and Development Robots figure in importantly in medical research and development. Medical practitioners are constantly trying to come up with new and better cures in the form of life-saving medications and robotics helps facilitate these functions. Because of the large amount of samples taken, robots are needed to increase the speed and accuracy within which these samples are tested. There is also the added security of using robotics in research and development. These systems come with sophisticated sterilizing mechanisms to ensure that the work environment is at its safest levels and that there is a much lesser risk of contamination. Laboratories also conduct a lot of research, and robotics helps manage the sometimes overwhelming amount of information generated by these studies. Needless to say, these studies hold life-saving information and these data need to be organized and then accessed at the appropriate time. It would be nearly impossible to manually find all the necessary information needed at a given situation. Medical Devices There is also an increasing reliance on robotics when it comes to the manufacture of medical devices. Robots can execute a variety of complex tasks such as the assembly of minute devices. Medical equipment such as pacemakers and hearing aids require the utmost care in assembly and the degree of success in completing these functions are higher when robotics are utilized. Additionally, robots can more speedily accomplish assembly which makes these devices immediately available to patients. Advances in robotic vision systems enable even greater precision in the manufacture of medical devices. Robots are designed to accurately pinpoint and pick up parts needed to assemble devices and because this function is highly repetitive, robots need to be able to execute exact movements each time. A vision system helps guarantee this exactness. Patient Care Robots are also increasingly being utilized in patient care systems. Surgical robotics is an area that is constantly being refined. There are devices being used by doctors that treat tumors more precisely. These devices zero in on a tumor and apply radiation on that spot to treat the tumor. Surgeons depend on robots to implement this procedure. Recent developments and innovations also hold great promise for cardiology. There are devices being developed to enable doctors to access the areas of the heart that are difficult and risky to get into. Prosthetics are also created with the help of robots. Devices such as replacement hips and knee joints require painstaking assembly and robotics helps put together these varying parts.