Here's How to Convince the Brain That Prosthetic Legs Are Real
From: Medical Design Technology - 09/13/2016
By: Oliver Alan Kannape

The carbon fiber legs or "blades" used by lower limb amputee runners have
arguably become one of the most iconic symbols of the Paralympic Games.
Although different lower-limb sports prostheses are used for running, jumping
and other activities, they share a single common aim: they are designed to
help Paralympians run faster, jump higher or further than other competitors.
Form follows function.

For those who have prostheses for more everyday uses, however, their
replacement limbs need to be able adapt to different scenarios and perform a
variety of functions, not just excel in one discipline - just like an actual
leg. So how can we make prostheses feel more like the real thing rather than
a specialist tool?

Whereas modern running blades have a distinctive hook shape, one of the most
promising engineering approaches for everyday prostheses is to closely model
the biological design of a leg, ankle and foot. This approach is referred to
as "biomimicity". 

Read the entire article at:
https://www.mdtmag.com/article/2016/09/heres-how-convince-brain-prosthetic-legs-are-real
https://theconversation.com/heres-how-to-convince-the-brain-that-prosthetic-legs-are-real-65009

Links:
Blade Runners: Do High-Tech Prostheses Give Runners an Unfair Advantage?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blade-runners-do-high-tech-prostheses-give-runners-an-unfair-advantage

Biomimetics: lessons from nature - an overview
http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/367/1893/1445