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2. Conventional Prosthetics

Conventional prosthetic hands are simple unintelligent devices. The use of microprocessors in commercial prosthetics is strictly limited and so far is mostly used to make the setting up of standard products easier. Even when microprocessors are used in commercial devices their application has been to simplify stock control by having one microprocessor controller replace multiple fixed electronics devices [1]. In the past year this has begun to change with one manufacturer responding to research findings [2], but even this barely exploits the full potential of the technology.

It is difficult to fully understand why the prosthetics field has taken so long to respond to the advances in electronics and materials science. It is true that the market is price sensitive and it has to wait for advances in the consumer goods markets for batteries and electronics before these devices can be incorporated into newer systems. However, taking the example of battery technology: NiCad batteries are the only system on offer in 1997 from the major manufacturers. An independent Norwegian company now offers compatible systems in Lithium Ion technology, which has a greater energy capacity and fewer of the problems associated with NiCads [3], but they are currently alone in offering this improved technology.


 

Contact: Peter J Kyberd
March 1998