Microprocessor-Controlled Prosthetic Leg
From: Micromo Medical Solutions

High-Tech Solutions Deliver Improved Quality of Life

When it comes to finding technological ways of dealing with the loss of a
limb, for example as the result of the amputation of a leg, two key things
need to be taken into account. Firstly, it took nature a long time to develop
the perfect "apparatus" to allow humans to move around. Secondly, people are
creatures of habit - they tend to carry on moving in the way they're used to.
All the solutions which have been tried to date, from wooden legs to
high-tech prostheses using state-of-the-art materials, have worked in a
purely passive way. Something that these devices all have in common is that
their function doesn't change during movement. Now, however, a new solution
has been developed, centered around the use of microprocessor-controlled
prostheses. Just like natural limbs, these can react automatically, adapting
to the current situation. Lightweight DC micromotors, combined with
intelligent control technology, offer the chance to walk in a way that feels
very similar to natural movement - providing clear benefits for users in
terms of both safety and comfort. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.micromomedical.com/application_prostheticLeg.php

Links:
C-Leg
http://www.clegstories.com/index.php/howitworks

The C-Leg Leg Prosthesis System
http://www.ottobock.com/cps/rde/xchg/ob_com_en/hs.xsl/1913.html