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The Regenstein Foundation Center for Bionic Medicine at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab has implanted the e-OPRA system in its first US patient. The device combines four technologies the field has been developing separately: bone-anchored attachment, targeted muscle reinnervation, implanted pattern-recognition sensors, and nerve-based sensory feedback.
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A randomized crossover trial from Hugh Herr's group tested two quasi-passive prosthetic ankles against two standard energy-storage-and-return feet across a range of walking conditions. Variable stiffness held up on level terrain and was preferred by subjects on a 5-degree decline. Variable damping was the least preferred design in every condition.
Starting October 15, newly enrolled Medicare DMEPOS suppliers and those undergoing ownership changes must get prior authorization for a list of orthotic items before claims clear. The rule is authorized under existing law and does not replace other prior auth requirements already in place.
An air-bladder sleeve that manages socket volume fluctuations in real time has expanded to transfemoral users. It fits inside existing suspension systems and has a US reimbursement code.
Efteling amusement park in the Netherlands is the first to offer the SafeStrap, a certified strap system that secures a prosthetic limb during rides. The device went through TÜV NORD safety assessment after a TU Delft final-year project became a real commercial product.
Sonera, a UC Berkeley startup whose technology had prosthetic control among its stated applications, has reportedly been acquired by Apple. The acquisition is unannounced. Here is what the technology was, and what that typically means for clinical applications.
A UT Knoxville engineering team is developing the Myo-Bridge, an implant that senses the physical motion of residual muscles rather than their electrical signals, then relays that information wirelessly to an external prosthetic hand. The device also aims to send grip force data back to the residual limb so users can feel what the hand is holding. Up to 45 percent of powered prosthetic hand users eventually stop using the device.
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