My very rough patch (robo-leg coming!)

[KRSESQ]

The anticipation must be much like waiting for a custom-ordered new car. The price is much the same.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yeah, there's the excitement of getting out of a "training wheel" leg and into my first really advanced one with a working ankle etc. The apprehension comes from it being an attachment system I've never used before and yet another learning curve to navigate.

[MultimediaMan]

Keep getting better, Doc!

[Dr Mordrid]

Getting my non-training leg tomorrow!!!!

Trial fit it Monday and it's GREAT, but a few adjustments had to be made in the shop.

specs:

Socket: advanced carbon fiber with a skin colored / skin friendly vacuum compatible coating. VERY light weight.

Suspension: LimbLogic VS vacuum system is waterproof, meaning I can swim in my everyday prosthesis. Good from underwater to an altitude of 20,000 feet. Internal battery charger, with power for 2-3 days.

It has a secure Bluetooth remote control interface, which allows me to manually adjust the vacuum level, set up an automatic vacuum level, go into a power conserving standby mode while sitting or laying down, and de-vacuum the system to remove it. It also warns of a vacuum leak in the system, and shows battery levels for itself and the pump. Dual-channel, so it can handle double amputees. There's also talk of an iPhone / Android app.

Stem: titanium alloy with chrome-moly attachments. Tough.

Stem damper: stem mounted chrome-moly shock absorber, adjustable for both vertical & rotational damping and the number of degrees it can rotate to allow easy pivoting.

Foot: carbon fiber and multiple high strength alloy parts & bearings plus adjustable silicone "cartilage" emulates the movements and flexibility of the ankle, heel and tarsal bones, while carbon fiber "metatarsals" enhance mobility over irregular surfaces.m

LimbLogic VS


Foot dynamics video: https://vimeo.com/64182692

Walking action

[Claymonkey]

How did I miss this thread? Sorry to hear this happened Doc, but glad to hear you're taking it in stride (pun not intended). This tech has always fascinated me, and I'm happy to hear 3D printing is finding its way into yet another area of medicine. This one seems more of a no brainer than heart/skull mockups before surgery. All that and bluetooth? They are putting that in everything now. My dad's hearing aids have bluetooth integration now too. It kills the batteries but he finds it super handy.

My best wishes to you and yours.

[Dr Mordrid]

Thanks!

3D printing is going a lot further. Last year a sintered metal (can be done with lasers or a plasma jet) 3D printer was used to print a titanium alloy jaw for a woman in Germany, and progress is advancing VERY fast on printed tissues and organ structures using stem cells as "ink." Getting weird out there.

Groups in the US and Europe have come up with large 3D printers for buildings using an aerated concrete slurry, and a European group has one that can potentially be used to print habitats on the Moon or Mars using native regolith as a raw material.

[Umfriend]

Good to hear about you're progress Doc! And scientific progress in general as well. Funny how they coincide with you.