Computer Science in Healthcare: Prosthetics

In December 2016, Alex Parra received a left leg amputation upon being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a common type of bone cancer. Now, as a two-time cancer survivor and a Paralympic swimmer, he is a disability advocate who often turns to social media to raise awareness of what it is like to live with one leg. In the embedded reel, Parra details his microprocessor-controlled knee. 

Nicknamed computer-controlled knees, microprocessor-controlled knees implement sensors to make walking safer, helping navigate hills, ramps, and uneven terrain. Per Hanger Clinic, these prosthetics make users feel safer and more confident navigating daily activities despite being heavier and requiring battery monitoring. Rather than mechanical knees, which rely on friction and either a hydraulic system or locking mechanism, microprocessor-controlled knees are designed to help produce a natural walking pattern that is comfortable for the user. 

According to the orthopedic technology company Ottobock, microprocessor-controlled knees include sensors, a microprocessor, software, a resistance system, and a battery. The microprocessor controls an internal fluid and monitors each phase of users’ gait cycles with sensors, allowing it to detect when adjustments need to be made. As for the resistance system, it helps users recover upon stumbling, ensuring that they can catch themselves before falling.

Since the early 1990s, the microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint has significantly impacted amputee leg movement. With the help of algorithms that can anticipate users’ movements, microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joints have aided the lives of many with disabilities. However, this is just the beginning of the role of computer science in prosthetics. 

Founded in 2017, Instalimb, Inc. is a Japanese company looking to create affordable and high-quality 3D-printed prosthetics and orthotics for over 90 million people who cannot purchase prosthetics like the previously mentioned microprocessor-controlled knees. With a 3D scanner, prosthetists measure patients’ stumps and design custom-fitted prostheses with specialized 3D-CAD software. The company has also developed a specialized 3D printer to use cheap but high-quality plastic composite materials to create prosthetics in reduced time and make the prosthesis directly from obtained data. 

In 2022, Instalimb, Inc. collaborated with the NGO Jaipur Foot Organization and since then rehabilitated more than 1.78 million disabled customers by providing artificial limbs and other aids free of cost per the Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices India. Moreover, as of a few days ago, Instalimb, Inc. is currently crowdfunding to deliver prosthetic legs to Ukrainian citizens. With developments in computer science and technology helping advance previously established prosthetics like microprocessor-controlled knees and inspiring new types like the Instalimb, Inc. prosthetic, it is safe to say there will be much to come in the realm of prosthetics, increasing patients’ quality of life and access to the prosthetics they need.