The intelligent artificial limb – developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) – is expected to be launched soon. The artificial limb is likely to be about 10 times cheaper than available options and would help “above-the-knee amputees walk with a comfortable gait,” the space agency said in a statement Friday.
Here are five points on the artificial limb developed by ISRO:
1. In a tweet, ISRO wrote: “1.6kg Microprocessor Controlled Knee (MPK) enabled amputee to walk ~100m in corridor with little support. Improvement in progress.”
2. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), ISRO, has developed these MPKs “under an MoU with the National Institute on Mobility Disabilities (NILD), Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (Divyangjan) (PDUNIPPD (D)) and Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO),” the space agency underlined.
3. How does it work? Based on the sensor data, the microprocessor detects the walking condition. “Amputee-specific gait parameters can be set using PC-based software to improve comfort. The interface renders parameters in real-time during walking,” ISRO points out.
4. Currently, MPKs available in the country cost somewhere between ₹ 10 lakh and ₹ 60 lakh. However, these MPKs are expected to cost somewhere between ₹4-5k.
5. Optimization of MPK in terms of mass and envelope size is in progress. More intelligence is incorporated into the system to help the amputee navigate rough terrain with advanced features for greater comfort,” ISRO said.
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