Double amputee Jason Koger, 34, of Owensboro, Ky., demonstrates his
i-limb ultra revolution hands during an interview with the Associated
Press, on May 2, 2013, in Philadelphia. Koger, a husband and father of
three who lost his limbs in an accident, can now activate with an iPhone
app 24 different grip patterns for his new hands .
Double amputee Jason Koger, 34, of Owensboro, Ky., demonstrates his
i-limb ultra revolution hands during an interview with the Associated
Press, on May 2, 2013, in Philadelphia
The technology indicates how rapidly the field of prosthetics is
changing, benefiting patients from injured military members to victims
of the Boston Marathon bombing. Practitioners say increased government
research in the wake of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is driving some
of the advances.
In Koger's case, he was shocked by a
downed power line. He went into a coma and had no idea until he woke up
three days later that doctors had amputated both his limbs at
mid-forearm.
His wife spent those three days researching prosthetics, Koger said.
Since then, he's used a variety of prostheses, which he considers
like tools - different extensions for different tasks. Electric hooks
have allowed him to pursue his passion for hunting. Myoelectric hands,
which react to electrical impulses generated by his remaining arm
muscles, offer more precise movements.
The previous
version of Koger's myoelectric device required programming by a
prosthetist, meaning Koger had to fly to Advanced Arm Dynamics in
Dallas. The prosthetist would work with Koger to pick a few grip
patterns - such as pinching, pointing or shaking hands - to program into
the i-limb.
Yet sometimes Koger would get home and
realize they weren't the ones he needed. Now, the latest i-limb comes
with iPhone or iPad app that allows Koger to reprogram his hand with the
touch of a stylus. On Thursday, he demonstrated by gripping an orange, a
baseball and a can of soda.
The i-limb allows fingers
and thumbs move independently to conform around certain objects, said
Ryan Spill, a prosthetist for Advanced Arm Dynamics' new office in
Philadelphia, who is working with Koger. The thumb is also motorized,
not passive, as in previous prostheses.
The Boston
Marathon bombings, which wounded more than 260 people including many
with serious leg injuries, have shined a light on the advances in
prostheses. But experts note that technology for upper extremity
bionics, which involve fine motor skills, is much different from what's
needed for lower extremities, which focuses on weight distribution and
gait.
There have also been huge advances in computerized knees and feet,
said Joe Reda, assistant director of orthotic and prosthetic services at
the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J.
"The
changes are happening rather rapidly now and I think it's because of
our wars overseas," said Reda. "The government is trying to put more
money into research and development."
- Boston amputees find financial support from companies, Good Samaritans
- Hospitals quick to implement lessons from Boston, but funding a concern
- Boston Marathon amputees face challenges relearning how to walk
The i-limb ultra revolution costs about $100,000, though some
insurance might cover it. Koger, who received his free in exchange for
testing them and providing feedback, met Friday in Philadelphia with
other amputees interested in the new technology.
Mark
Dowling, 50, of Newark, Del., lost his arm to cancer several months ago.
He said he cried while watching Koger demonstrate how the hand worked.
"I'm very touched with his story," Dowling said.
Source : CBS News , 3rd May 2013
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