They say that there is no stop to invention and innovation and amongst these inventors and innovators, Hugh Herr is one of them who is a legend for the ones with a disability. He has been billed as the “Bionic Man”.
Hugh lost his legs below the knee to frostbite during a climbing accident in New Hampshires White Mountains in the early 1980s. He was informed by his doctor that he wont be able to climb again. Disappointed Herr used a local machines shop hacks together custom prostheses from rubber, metal and wood and soon after he went on to become a successful climber.
Today, he is making efforts in giving a second life to the ones who have lost their hope. He is busy creating limbs at the MIT Biomechatronics lab that emulates the function of natural limbs.
His biotic limbs allow the affected with greater mobility and hope to those with physical disabilities.
“I viewed the missing biological part of my body as an opportunity, a blank palette for which to create,” he said during the 2015 “Autodesk University” conference.
Herr who is also the Co-director of the MIT Center for Extreme Bionics, as Well as Founder of BionX Inc, have started a new bionic age. It was visible to the audience at the recently-concluded “Science in the Age of Experience” conferences in Boston this month, organized by the 3DEXperience French major Dassault Systemes.
His invention has been named to TIME magazine in “Top Ten Inventions list- “Rheo”, a computer-controlled Knee prosthesis which is outfitted with microprocessor that senses continuously the joint’s position and the loads applied to the limb and “EmPower”, a power ankle-foot prosthesis which is emulates any kind of action of a biological leg.
“We hope to expand our horizon, go beyond borders and experience scientific innovation at large,” he added.
He also says that these bionic limbs will also help the disabilities suffering from the conditions of muscle paralyzes. These robotic limbs which will be controlled by the mind is a game-changer.