In every war some soldiers return from battle with limbs that are debilitated. In the past soldiers faced a choice, they could have their debilitated limb amputated or continue their lives with an arm of leg that isn’t 100 percent.
Well, a new prosthetic, the Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis (IDEO), is changing the calculation that soldiers have to make when severely injured.
IDEO is a carbon fiber prosthetic that attaches to a patient’s leg below the knee. Armed with a spring-loaded footplate that fits in a users shoe the prosthetic can transform an otherwise weak limb into one that can provide movement and strength comparable to an unaffected leg.
Remarkably, the IDEO is a rather simple device. When attached to a users limb all a wearer has to do is walk normally. The natural weight provided by the users gate loads the IDEO with energy that is then released as the user begins a new stride.
Until now the IDEO prosthetic has only been available to wounded veterans, however, in the very new future thie prosthetic will also be available for civilian use.
Image Courtesy of Gregory Reid
Source: Wired