DailyDirt: Assisted Walking And Running

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Walking upright may seem like the most natural thing to do for most people, but it's not that easy if you get injured. Thankfully, there's some technology that can help that isn't as limiting as a wheelchair or a pair of under-arm crutches. And if you want to get some super-human abilities, some gadgets out there can help anyone run faster (with some awkward-looking stilts).

• Bionic boots could help people run a lot faster without much more effort. There have been other devices like Bionic Boot, so maybe in the future we'll all be able to run a marathon in about an hour with the right equipment. [url]
• Oscar Pistorius may be more famous for homicide now, but his prosthetic leg technology allowed him to keep up with Olympic sprinters. The spikes on the bottom of his carbon fiber prostheses were extensively tested to ensure consistency in traction and shock absorption, and the technology might re-appear on other athletes. [url]
• The James Dyson Foundation is considering a Dyson Award for an improved crutch design that keeps a user's hands and arms free (unlike under-arm crutches). This device also allows the wearer to sit without taking it off. No running or jumping with this crutch, though, but then the wearer is likely injured and shouldn't be doing those activities anyway. (N.B. it only works with lower leg injuries.) [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.

Filed Under: bionic boot, crutches, dyson award, oscar pistorius, powerbocking, prosthetics