artificial limb

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He Was Paralyzed in 2004. Now He Can Feel His Hand

Thanks to electrodes in the brain and a robotic arm

(Newser) - It's a small but hopeful step: A man paralyzed from the neck down due to a spinal injury sustained in a 2004 car accident says he's feeling "possibly natural" sensations in his hand after scientists electrically stimulated his brain. A team led by researchers at the University...

Pistorius Removes Prosthetics in Court to Show 'Vulnerability'

Defense had him walk on stumps to try to get out of long prison sentence

(Newser) - Oscar Pistorius tried in vain in March to appeal his conviction before South Africa's highest court in the 2013 murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, and so he made a last-ditch effort Wednesday to avoid a lengthy prison sentence: He took off his artificial legs, Reuters reports. Pistorius lawyer Barry...

Tears Flow as Girl Sees Doll Has Prosthetic Like Her

Emma Bennett floored at seeing modified American Girl doll

(Newser) - Part of the American Girl doll brand's claim to fame is that kids can get a doll made in their own likeness—but Emma Bennett's parents wanted to go one step further. The Texas 10-year-old has a prosthetic leg ( KHOU notes she was born with a rare...

Amputees Fight Medicare for Artificial Limbs

They object to new rules that will limit prosthetics

(Newser) - It's not your usual dry debate over Medicare spending: In this case, it involves amputees fighting for artificial legs and feet. Nearly 150 amputees and their supporters descended on Washington yesterday to protest changes they say will make it harder for them to get prostheses, the Washington Post reports....

Why Today's Amputees Often Amputate More

More sophisticated prosthetics sometimes require a sacrifice

(Newser) - Increasingly, amputees who have already lost limbs are going to their doctors to ask them to remove more. The choice, which the New York Times calls "once unthinkable," comes as artificial limbs are becoming vastly more sophisticated. For people like Ann Kornhauser, whose prosthetic foot left her in...

Feds: Hospital Scammer Sold Patients' Prostheses

Health worker replaced working artificial limbs, sold them online: probe

(Newser) - Seeing this health worker could literally cost you an arm and a leg. A hospital official may have tricked his patients into replacing quality prostheses so he could trade the originals for cash on eBay, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The FBI is looking into whether the head of prosthetic...

Mini Horse Gets Fake Leg
 Mini Horse Gets Fake Leg 

Mini Horse Gets Fake Leg

Texas sanctuary gets rescued horse galloping

(Newser) - A miniature horse has a new leg and a new lease on life thanks to a Texas horse rescue group and a company that usually makes prosthetic limbs for people. Midnite, who was born missing a portion of his rear right leg, arrived at Ranch Hand Rescue after law enforcement...

40% of Americans Think Jesus Will Return by 2050

Poll: US in optimistic yet apocalyptic mood

(Newser) - More than 40% of Americans believe Jesus will return to earth by the year 2050, according to a Pew Research Center poll. The poll also found that Americans are optimistic about the future, but less so than a decade ago: 64% expect a rosy future for themselves and their families,...

New Robotic Arm Takes Cues From Brain
New Robotic Arm Takes Cues From Brain

New Robotic Arm Takes Cues From Brain

Improvements in field have given amputees dexterity, independence

(Newser) - Artificial limbs have come a long way from the wooden legs and plastic arms of old: Today's prosthetics take messages directly from the brain. Their performance far exceeds that of the previous generation of devices, which required concentrated effort to make ungainly motions. "You think, and then your muscles...

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