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Bluetooth Prosthetics Help US Marine To Walk Again

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Fri Jan 25, 2008 03:46 PM
from the better-stronger-faster dept.
Science Technology
Like2Byte writes "CNN is reporting that a US Marine who lost both his legs in Iraq is now able to walk again by using bluetooth technology to coordinate his leg movement. The two legs communicate to keep the man in motion. ' [...] Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion. Bleill's set of prosthetics [legs] have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it's doing, how it's moving, whether walking, standing or climbing steps, for example.'"
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story

Related Stories

[+] Hardware: Thought-Controlled Prosthetics 88 comments
Ponca City, We Love You writes "Physiatrist Todd A. Kuiken, M.D., Ph.D. has pioneered a technique known as targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR), that allows a prosthetic arm to respond directly to the brain's signals, allowing wearers to open and close their artificial hands and bend and straighten their artificial elbows nearly as naturally as their own arms. Doctors first perform nerve transfer surgery to redirect nerves that go to the amputated arm to the patient's chest muscles. Then when the chest muscle contracts, an electromyogram picks up the electrical signal to move the prosthetic arm. So when the patient thinks 'close hand,"' the hand closes. Now the team wants to see if they can extract more information from the electrical signals produced by the nerves to provide a greater number of hand and arm movements. Theyd have been able to identify unique EMG patterns with 95% accuracy for 16 different elbow, wrist, hand, thumb, and finger movements. 'We've been able to demonstrate remarkable control of artificial limbs and it's an exciting neural machine interface that provides a lot of hope,' says Dr. Kuiken."
[+] Hardware: Prosthetic-Limbed Runner Disqualified from Olympic Games 509 comments
contraba55 wrote with a link to an Engadget story on a sign of the postmodern times. Oscar Pistorius, a world-class sprinter, has been denied a shot at participating in the Olympics this year. He's a double-amputee, but he's not out because of his handicap; he's disqualified because he's faster than most sprinters. "The runner — who uses carbon-fiber, prosthetic feet — was reviewed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (or IAAF), a review which found the combination of man and machine to be too much for its purely human competitors. According to the IAAF report, the 'mechanical advantage of the blade in relation to the healthy ankle joint of an able bodied athlete is higher than 30-percent.' Additionally, Pistorius uses 25-percent less energy than average runners due to the artificial limbs, therefore giving him an unfair advantage on the track."
Submission: BIONIC legs assist US Marine to walk again by Like2Byte (542992)
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Bluetooth Prosthetics Help US Marine To Walk Again 50 Comments More /

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  • What if I sync my Treo while sitting next to him? (Score:5, Funny)

    by kwabbles (259554) on Friday January 25 2008, @03:48PM (#22186538)
    Will he reflex-kick me in the head?

  • Bluetooth?! (Score:4, Informative)

    by LinuxGeek (6139) * <<linuxgeek> <at> <djand.com>> on Friday January 25 2008, @03:51PM (#22186586)
    I hope they don't fall down when they walk past a microwave oven. I know my bt headset drops info while talking around my microwave. I hope the final devices are a bit more robust.
    • Your headset is level with the microwave, your ankles hopefully aren't level with the microwave. Couldn't they just run a wire up what is left of his legs and connect them at his waist instead relying on bluetooth?
      • Well, they could, but that's one more thing to have to disconnect/reconnect.

        Besides, isn't it more fun to make your legs move from across the room?

    • Re:Bluetooth?! (Score:5, Informative)

      by KublaiKhan (522918) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:06PM (#22186844) Homepage Journal
      I do know that there's a proposed standard for Bluetooth specifically for medical devices--there are some pacemakers and ICDs out there (most of 'em these days, I understand) that have bluetooth built into 'em so that the doctors can read information off of 'em without having to place electrodes and whatnot--and also so that they can patch the firmware, if necessary.

      This is why they're using bluetooth, I think, rather than something else--because it's already used for similar medical device communications.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Lumpy (12016)
      I personally find it remarkably stupid they are using bluetooth or wireless at all. There is a point near the crotch where a small wire can connect the two legs.

      also why the hell are they using bluetooth? other RF data modules are far easier to use in embedded processing and have a shorter range that is perfect for that use.

      The whole thing smells of a PR stunt to me.
  • Just imagine - no need for cellphone shoot-em-up games when you can use this direction stick on the keyboard to control a real Marine with Bluetooth!

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by AgentPaper (968688) *
      I'm reminded of an old BOFH episode [petech.ac.za] in which the Bastard Operator straps a mobile SNMP controller to the boss's motorized wheelchair, and then lets another manager take a crack at his new "video game." All's fun and games till you miss that jump over the open manhole...

  • I'm happy he can walk and all, but... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jafo (11982) * on Friday January 25 2008, @03:55PM (#22186650) Homepage
    The last thing most of us need is one more damn thing that you need to keep charged.

    Hello, AAA? Yeah, I'm in the supermarket parking lot and I need a jump-start...

    Sean
  • A handsome young Cyborg named Ace,
    Wooed women at every base,
    But once ladies glanced at
    His special enhancement
    They vanished with nary a trace.

    Barracks Graffiti
    Sparta Command

  • Leap forward in tech, step backwards in utility. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Radon360 (951529) on Friday January 25 2008, @03:59PM (#22186716)

    I think it's great that they've improved the functionality of these prostheses, but I find it rather dumb that the batteries that power them are not user replaceable. They've added some "whiz bang" at the cost of what would be now considered a standard functional issue of any consumer electronics device. I know someone with a prosthetic arm, which has replaceable Li-Ion packs, why would having removeable batteries be any different in this case? Then again, maybe I am incorrectly interpreting "no spare batteries available" as not user replaceable, instead of the design of these batteries are two-of-a-kind and no additional ones have been manufactured at this point.

    (Apologies for the puns in the title.)

  • Black Hats (Score:5, Funny)

    by martinmcc (214402) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:00PM (#22186722) Homepage
    I wouldn't be going to any black hat conventions if I was him.
    • Yes, lets pick on the Marine. I'm sure him and his battle experienced friend would take it in stride.
      When your car explodes, don't be surprised.

  • Wii? (Score:5, Funny)

    by IronMagnus (777535) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:02PM (#22186754)
    So... can we expect Nintendo to make a Wii soccer game for him?
  • Every time I step near a busy road with my BT headphones, I start losing connectivity because the bt band is overloaded.

    How will this guy cross the road? on his hands?
  • What a weird use for wireless communication - why wouldn't a wire do a better cheaper job?

    • Re:Weird (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Digital_Quartz (75366) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:13PM (#22186934) Homepage
      That was my initial reaction too. But, he lost his legs just above the knee, so the routing of the wire would either have to cross empty space somewhere, or else route up one leg, into the crotch of his trousers, and down the other leg. On the one hand, I can see either of those routings having issues, practical or comfort related. But still, seems like it would be worth it considering the advantages the wired version would give you in terms of reliability and battery longevity.
      • Thanks for clearing that up. I was confused too - so the legs are talking to each other then? I guess that makes sense since they probably wouldn't do such a great job if they acted independently of one another. I agree that a wired rendition makes more sense from an engineering perspective, but it would make some basic stuff like putting on clothes a little more cumbersome than the prosthetics already are. Perhaps the design motivation here is psychological - kind of like the benefit of complicated pro
    • Because running a wire up the remaining above knee leg, around the crotch, and back down the other remaining above knee leg would be a PITA. Running it directly would make for tripping over or break the wire every time you stepped over something, though there are some features that might be useful for a marine: http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20030511.html [schlockmercenary.com]
    • Price is hardly an issue with this kind of thing. A wire would certainly be more reliable, but then of course you have the inconvenience of a wire dangling out of your ass (which, I can only assume, is rather severe).
  • How fast can he run? Faster than a woman? (OK, for those who don't get the reference, it's from Bobby Bitman's movie "Chariot of Eggs".)
  • If these have a sensor inside that could detect falling over (which they must), you could have it set up to deliver an emergency "I've fallen and I can't get up" type message to a pc. A la new onstar vehicles. Maybe heart rate/blood pressure monitors as well. Could increase independence.

  • You just got bluesnarfed! (Score:3, Funny)

    by Chas (5144) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:05PM (#22186816) Homepage Journal
    Enjoy your new "restless leg" syndrome!

  • The Typical Day (Score:5, Funny)

    by vjmurphy (190266) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:07PM (#22186858) Homepage
    *walk* *walk* *walk*

    "Brain -> Legs: Bluetooth connection lost. Re-pairing"

    *trip*
  • I, for one, welcome our new cybernetic overl...

    Hey wait a minute, I'm a cyborg! Never mind.

  • Fire! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 25 2008, @04:20PM (#22187036)
    From TFA:

    Because of built-in motors, the Bluetooth legs allow Bleill to walk longer before he tires.

    "We've compared walking several laps in both sets of legs and one, your legs come out burning and tired and these, you know, you sometimes are not even breaking a sweat yet."

    The only downside is when his new legs are burning, it's because they used sony batteries.
  • He was given the legs so we can finally be rid of Chuck Norris.
    Once the OSI has accomplished that goal, they will turn the legs off.

  • Newsreel announcer: We have the ships. We have the weapons. We need soldiers. Soldiers like Lieutenant Stack Lumbreiser...
    Lt. Lumbreiser: Over the target area now, Captain.
    Newsreel announcer: ...and Captain Carmen Ibanez.
    Carmen: This is the captain speaking. All personnel prepare for drop.
    Newsreel announcer: Soldiers like Private Ace Levy and Lieutenant John Rico.
    Johnny Rico: Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?
    Newsreel announcer: We need you all. Service guarantees citizenship.

  • Hmmmmm..... (Score:3, Funny)

    by IHC Navistar (967161) on Friday January 25 2008, @04:52PM (#22187440)
    The chips send signals to the artificial joints via bluetooth?

    To FORWARD WALK, press 1.
    To FORWARD RUN, press 2.
    To BACKWARD WALK, press 3.
    To BACKWARD RUN, press 4.
    To KICK LEFT, press 5.
    To KICK RIGHT, press 6.
    To move SIDEWAYS LEFT, press 7
    To move SIDEWAYS RIGHT, press 8

    If you have fallen and can't get up, press 9. An Operator will be with you shortly. Please hold, your call is important to us. Calls will be answered in the order they are recieved. (plays "Runnin' With The Devil" as hold music).

    If controls fail to respond, press CTRL+ALT+DEL.

  • Help! Grommit! (Score:4, Funny)

    by spitzak (4019) on Friday January 25 2008, @05:52PM (#22188056) Homepage
    It's the wrong trousers, and they've gone wrong! Help!

    • Re:olympics (Score:5, Funny)

      by Joe the Lesser (533425) on Friday January 25 2008, @03:59PM (#22186710) Homepage Journal

      Another fine gentalman that they will not allow to partisipate in the olympics.
      Yea, I couldn't participate either, and I have *real* legs. What the hell.
    • Maybe they'd let him drive his motorized wheelchair in the hundred meter race before he got his cyborg legs? I think when his legs got blown off that would have pretty much disqualified him from most sports.

      Speaking of sports, why is it OK for a baseball player to get eye surgery to bring his vision to better than 20/20, but it's not ok for him to take steroids? Would they he ok with muscles surgically grafted onto his arms and legs?

      Why is surgery ok but not drugs?

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by zippthorne (748122)

        Why is surgery ok but not drugs?

        You know the reason, but you're being obtuse because you want to juice. It's not really about the legality or illegality of steroid use, though your Congressmen (and women) would like you to believe that. It's more about the trade-offs. Like Tyrell symbionts, the star that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

        Using steroids improves performance for the player during his career at the cost of debilitating medical problems down the line. It reduces both quality and quan

    • Why Bluetooth? I think the doctor just figured out a way to "perform maintenance surgery" on the guy every two years for the rest of his life. Pure brilliance!

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Radon360 (951529)

        My only guess is that Bluetooth hardware was available "off the shelf" therefore simplfying the design time for the wireless link. It's questionable if this was wise, considering the proliferation of Bluetooth devices. I know I'd be a little upset if the legs that I depended on were covered under FCC part 15, particularly the part stating "this device must accept interference, even if it causes undesired operation."

        FWIW, I don't think the BT is actually implanted, so regular surgeries for battery changes

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