AI-enabled Bionic Limbs!

Bionic limbs are the cutting edge of technology in prostheses. These limbs are equipped with receptors that can communicate with the muscle they are attached to. As the muscle flexes, the bionic limb reacts to the movement and moves accordingly. These prosthetic limbs have made an enormous difference in the lives of amputees who otherwise saw their lives as ‘over.’

What are the bionic limbs used for?

Upper limb deficiencies

Losing a hand can cause many challenges in the life of an amputee. From getting dressed to eating and working, everything seems impossible. The new bionic hands are able to move their fingers individually and do precision work such as typing and playing an instrument. They are also capable of carrying the load an ordinary hand can take. Ossur, a company specializing in bionic limbs, has added a speed booster to these bionic limbs to make them much faster than a regular bionic hand. However, they still cannot move as quickly as the real hand can.

Lower limb deficiencies

Losing a leg almost always means that you cannot be as dynamic as you used to be. Moving with a prosthetic leg is unnatural and often painful. Also, because the regular prosthetics cannot adapt to your body, you will face a host of back and hip problems in the long run.

Bionic legs made by Ossur are designed to make sure that you are comfortable enough to be able to walk and hike as much as you used to do. These prosthetic knees and legs have the strength, flexibility, and stability to provide you with day-long, pain-free mobility.

Another company that strives to help leg amputees be as active as they want to be is Biodapt. Biodapt designs and manufactures prosthetic limbs that are perfect for action-packed extreme sports. Many famous pro athletes who became amputees have started to use Biodapt limbs to go back to their gold-winning careers.

Prosthetic limbs for children

Losing a limb should note the end of childhood. It is what most manufacturers of bionic limbs for children have in mind. These state-of-the-art bionic limbs help children still enjoy their school life, playtime with friends, and competitive sports.

Some of the most critical factors for making a prosthetic limb for children are flexibility and a high energy return level. Open Bionics is another company that has been making bionic limbs for amputees since 2014. This company is the first to create bionic arms using 3D printing technology. So, the prostheses made by this company are completely tailor-made for the individual who is going to use them. What’s more, Open Bionics has recently signed an agreement with Disney and Marvel companies to fabricate prostheses with Cartoon and Superhero characters. This can make a huge difference in the social life and attitude of the child who has to use a prosthetic limb for the rest of his/her life.

How can bionic limbs change the future?

Bionic limbs have already made such a difference in the lives of many people. Gone are the days when amputation of a limb meant a lifetime of pain and misery and dependency on family members and friends. Today, with the bionic limbs, amputees can have a pretty normal life and are able to go on with their lives as they were.

However, this is not the end of the road for this technology. Companies like Ossur and Open Arm are trying to embed AI technologies into their limbs to enable them to move spontaneously. The technology of Artificial Intelligence is already there, and it can efficiently work with prosthetic limbs. AI bionic limbs are able to get the neurons’ signals directly from the brain and move as soon as you think of moving.

What is the future of bionic limbs in the stock market?

Medical technologies are among the areas that have a long way to go in the financial sector. In five years, this market is predicted to realize some of its potentials and achieve a $1.7 billion market. One of the companies that have had steady growth since it started on the stock market is Ossur. This company’s shares are currently valued at 7.438 USD. However, this amount is expected to rise by 86.99% by 2025. Of course, there is potential for other bionic companies to join the market and make the same kind of progress in the near future.