Free Republic

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2007 – A new prosthesis under development will give servicemember amputees more flexibility and help them better perform their military jobs if they choose to stay on active duty. Army Spc. Charles Parker looks on as Sven Zarling, from Otto Bock International, demonstrates the capabilities of a prototype of a prosthesis designed to give above-the-knee amputee servicemembers mobility they need to remain on active duty if they choose. The prosthesis uses a microprocessor to control the knee’s hydraulic functions and can anticipate the wearer’s actions and make changes in real time. Photo by Fred W. Baker...

A bionic eye implant that could help restore the sight of millions of blind people could be available to patients within two years. US researchers have been given the go-ahead to implant the prototype device in 50 to 75 patients. The Argus II system uses a spectacle-mounted camera to feed visual information to electrodes in the eye. Patients who tested less-advanced versions of the retinal implant were able to see light, shapes and movement. "What we are trying to do is take real-time images from a camera and convert them into tiny electrical pulses that would jump-start the otherwise...

POSTED: 8:52 am EST March 3, 2006 UPDATED: 2:12 pm EST March 3, 2006 ARCADIA, Calif. -- A 16-year-old girl's prosthetic legs, which were stolen twice since November, have been quietly returned, police said. Melissa Huff's mother found the legs in her unlocked car, which she had parked at Arcadia High School. "Nobody was seen in or around the car," Arcadia police Lt. Ken Harper said. "There were no witnesses. We lifted some fingerprints and will see if there is any match." Huff's right leg was amputated below the knee after she was struck by a car two years ago....