what is the difference between conventional prosthesis from the bionic? It’s like comparing a cart with a spaceship. A conventional denture can be made only exciting movement. The bionic prosthesis is controlled via the Central nervous system and muscles stored in the forearm and shoulder. When a disabled person wants to commit any movement, he instinctively, without thinking, straining certain muscles. A prosthesis that “reads” these signals and performs the required movement. And quite quickly – as in real life.
– it is Important that our prosthesis functions so that each “finger” is working individually. Bend the third finger? He only bent. We are now working to ensure that movement was more natural. Want outer shell of the prosthesis looked like real leather – in color and in structure, – says Alexey Baindurashvili, Director of the SMRC them. G. Turner, main children’s traumatologist-orthopedist of St. Petersburg. – We need a bionic prosthesis, which would not yield on functionality to Western counterparts, but were much cheaper. We would then have to return a high quality of life for tens of thousands of children and adults left without hands, and as a result of trauma, and congenital disorders. With the help of prosthetic disabled person could perform most of the actions that are available to people with two hands. It would guarantee many patients return to their previous profession, which they lost as the result of crippling injuries.
As said Oleg Kovalev, lead engineer of the project, plus the St. Petersburg development is not just about the price: the prosthesis used an array of electrodes, which greatly simplifies the process of managing them. In plans – creation of such a prosthesis on each finger. It will reduce the need for complex microsurgical transplants of the fingers. It remains to solve the problem of financing. While much is being done on the enthusiasm of scientists, but to start product flow, without cash infusions are not enough. Perhaps next year on an improved prosthesis documents will be submitted for official registration.
– And we hope that the bioprostheses of domestic production will be funded by the state, by analogy with conventional dentures. Then we can talk about the accessibility of bionic prosthesis, summarizes Baindurashvili.
