An amputee patient is a patient who has lost not only a part of his body but also the annexed function. The loss of an eye, an arm, or a dental element entails a loss of function reflected in a systemic adaptation by the organism to compensate for it. Moreover, it is reflected in important psychological consequences. The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect as many articles and information about new rehabilitation techniques in the biomedical and bioengineering field as possible. In all organism districts, the focus is on the innovation of a certain material or a specific technique without neglecting the influence on a patient’s quality of life.

This textbook provides a thorough introduction and overview of the design and engineering of state-of-the-art prosthetics and assistive technologies. Innovations in prosthetics are increasingly made by cross-disciplinary thinking, and the author introduces the application of biomedical, mechanical, electrical, computer, and materials engineering principles to the design of artificial limbs. Coverage includes the fundamentals of biomechanics, biomechanical modeling and measurements, the basics of anatomy and physiology of limb defects, and the historical development of prosthetic design. This book stimulates the innovative thinking necessary for advancing limb restoration, and will be essential reading for students, as well as researchers, professional engineers, and prosthetists involved in the design and manufacture of artificial limbs. Learning enhanced by the exercises, including physical modeling with MATLAB and Simulink; Includes appendices with relevant equations and parameters for reference; Introduction to the design and engineering of prosthetics and assistive technologies.

The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that 56.7 million Americans had some type of disability in 2010, which represents 18.7 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population included in the 2010 Survey of Income and Program Participation. The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. As of December 2015, approximately 11 million individuals were SSDI beneficiaries, and about 8 million were SSI beneficiaries. SSA currently considers assistive devices in the nonmedical and medical areas of its program guidelines. During determinations of substantial gainful activity and income eligibility for SSI benefits, the reasonable cost of items, devices, or services applicants need to enable them to work with their impairment is subtracted from eligible earnings, even if those items or services are used for activities of daily living in addition to work. In addition, SSA considers assistive devices in its medical disability determination process and assessment of work capacity. The Promise of Assistive Technology to Enhance Activity and Work Participation provides an analysis of selected assistive products and technologies, including wheeled and seated mobility devices, upper-extremity prostheses, and products and technologies selected by the committee that pertain to hearing and to communication and speech in adults.

Implement TMR with Your Patients and Improve Their Quality of LifeDeveloped by Dr. Todd A. Kuiken and Dr. Gregory A. Dumanian, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a new approach to accessing motor control signals from peripheral nerves after amputation and providing sensory feedback to prosthesis users. This practical approach has many advantage

Whether you are a student or a clinician, if you work with patients with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal impairments, you will find this text supplies a strong foundation in and appreciation for the field of orthotics and prosthetics that will give you the critical skills you need when working with this unique client population.

Making Hands: The Design and Use of Upper Extremity Prosthetics provides a historical account of the development of upper extremity prostheses. It describes different aspects surrounding the development of key elements of mechanisms and control, for prosthetic hands and arms, and includes biographical sketches of some key contributors. The field is broad and uses knowledge from a wide range of disciplines. Sections cover the background to give researchers and professionals what they need to learn about adjacent fields. The author's expertise on the control of prostheses makes this a very comprehensive resource on the topic. - Covers research and technological innovation in the development of upper limb prostheses - Introduces upper limb prosthetics from the different perspectives of biology, engineering, clinical practice and industry - Discusses innovations of the recent decades, rapid manufacture, the 'citizen engineer', and how these things may shape prosthetics in the future

The four years of the Civil War saw bloodshed on a scale unprecedented in the history of the United States. Thousands of soldiers and sailors from both sides who survived the horrors of the war faced hardship for the rest of their lives as amputees. Now Guy R. Hasegawa presents the first volume to explore the wartime provisions made for amputees in need of artificial limbs—programs that, while they revealed stark differences between the resources and capabilities of the North and the South, were the forebears of modern government efforts to assist in the rehabilitation of wounded service members. Hasegawa draws upon numerous sources of archival information to offer a comprehensive look at the artificial limb industry as a whole, including accounts of the ingenious designs employed by manufacturers and the rapid advancement of medical technology during the Civil War; illustrations and photographs of period prosthetics; and in-depth examinations of the companies that manufactured limbs for soldiers and bid for contracts, including at least one still in existence today. An intriguing account of innovation, determination, humanitarianism, and the devastating toll of battle, Mending Broken Soldiers shares the never-before-told story of the artificial-limb industry of the Civil War and provides a fascinating glimpse into groundbreaking military health programs during the most tumultuous years in American history. Univeristy Press Books for Public and Secondary Schools 2013 edition

Everyone uses machines in our daily life -- cars, buses and bikes; computers and phones; washing machines and dryers. Another type of machine is an "assistive technology". These enable a man missing a leg to walk, a woman missing an arm to hold objects, and a child in a wheelchair to play a sport. New Hands, New Life offers young readers the opportunity to learn how our bodies work during physical activity and what happens when they don't work properly. It shows how exciting advances in technology and science have allowed us to create assistive technologies -- from artificial limbs and wheelchairs to exoskeletons and robots -- that make it possible for someone with a disability to make new abilities. Assistive technologies are especially life-changing for a child who can overcome the challenges of a missing limb or reduced motor function to enjoy a life of learning and play that would be otherwise out of reach. Topics include: The emergence of robotics Anatomy and physiology related to movement and activity, including motor control Why some children need help to move or do things Different types of challenges (e.g., walking, interacting with environment) Diseases, trauma and disabilities that affect movement Working together with robots Making robots (robotics clubs, LEGO toys, other kits) 3-D printing of prostheses for growing children. The book features case studies that follow the design and fitting of assistive technologies. There are pictures of the labs, robots, and researchers working to develop new machines, along with a brief history of prosthetics and a survey of medical-engineering work currently underway in many countries. New Hands, New Life provides fascinating, illustrated coverage of a topic rarely covered for a young audience. It is an essential selection for all libraries, and for many families.