History was made when the first bilateral shoulder-level amputee was able to wear and simultaneously control two prosthetic limbs. The amazing part? He was able to operate the system by simply thinking about moving his limbs. The groundbreaking event took place at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where they’ve been working to develop Modular Prosthetic Limbs as part of the Revolutionizing Prosthetics Program over the past decade. Les Baugh was the man who made the limbs come to life. Baugh…
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Prosthetic limbs help amputees with mobility and functionality, but do not allow one to regain their sense of touch. Scientists and engineers have been attempting to re-create touch for those who have lost limbs for some time now, and they may have found the answer. A study published in Science Translation Medicine states that long-lasting, natural-feeling sensations are now able to be produced artificially for those with prosthetic limbs. Of course, those using the device cannot physically feel the ball….
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According to some scientists, humans are born with an innate sixth sense. And no, it’s not the ability to see ghosts like in the 1999 horror film. It’s the sense of proprioception: the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. This sense is what helps us coordinate our movements. For example, if you close your eyes, there remains a sense of awareness of where your muscles and body parts are located, the distance between them, and…
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Most of us don’t stop to think about it, but the skin on our body is pretty remarkable. The largest organ in the body can detect pressure, temperature changes, pain, and touch, all made possible thanks to the many nerves and receptors underneath our skin. With all that said, it’s easy to understand why it’s hard to duplicate this unique organ. But, according to ScienceDaily, researchers are working to do just that. Their goal is to reproduce and transfer these qualities into a…
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Over 2,600 people from 53 countries attended the 233rd ECS Meeting in Seattle, WA, May 13-17, 2018—the largest spring meeting in the Society's history! Participants could choose from 46 symposia, with over 2,000 oral talks and nearly 600 posters, of which almost 700 were student presentations. Click here to see all of the photos from the 233rd ECS Meeting. Opening Reception A new and improved opening reception kicked off the meeting. Held in a spacious atrium in the Washington State...
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Gather with your colleagues The plenary session is one of the highlighted events of the meeting, allowing participants from every symposia to come together and recognize some of the greatest minds in the field. ECS President Johna Leddy will wrap up the first full day of the 233rd ECS Meeting by welcoming the ECS meeting attendees and introducing the highly anticipated lecturer, Miguel Nicolelis and his talk “Linking Brains to Machines: From Basic Science to Neurological Neurorehabilitation.” The agenda also includes: Vittorio de...
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Engineers have developed a flexible sensor “skin” that can stretch over any part of a robot’s body or prosthetic to accurately convey information about shear forces and vibration—information critical to grasping and manipulating objects. If a robot sets out to disable a roadside bomb—or delicately handle an egg while cooking you an omelet—it needs to be able to sense when objects are slipping out of its grasp. Yet, to date, it’s been difficult or impossible for most robotic and prosthetic…
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The development of prosthetics has changed many lives, providing mobility options and allowing for more active lives. But all artificial limbs aren’t perfect. Some can be painful, difficult to use, and lead to possible skin infections. The Office of Naval Research is looking to change that, providing new options for those in need of artificial limbs. By teaming up with the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Office of Naval Research has developed a “smart” artificial leg, using sensor…
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The 7th International ECS Electrochemical Energy Summit: Human Sustainability Monday October 2 – Thursday, October 5 ECS’s Electrochemical Energy Summit brings together policymakers and researchers from around the globe to discuss the ways in which science impacts the planet’s key sustainability issues. In National Harbor, the 7th International ECS Electrochemical Energy Summit: Human Sustainability – Energy, Water, Food, and Health is set to include three distinct symposia: Energy-Water Nexus; The Brain and Electrochemistry; and Sensors for Food Safety, Quality, and…
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