Blue Sky Brief - Almost H+

ALMOST HUMAN+

BY LUCIAN PAVALOI

ENG3094D BLUE SKY BRIEF DISCURSIVE ESSAY

ALMOST HUMAN+

BY LUCIAN PAVALOI

Worldwide we are already dealing with many cases of amputations and this number will increase over the years, I strongly believe that around the year 2030, as a result of numerous accidents and diseases such as diabetes, a growing number of people will require more transtibial prostheses but there will also be people using it in exchange to their healthy limbs. At some point, the technology will be able to augment the human body more than the nature intended. In this context I am developing a conceptual transtibial prosthesis according to the scenario stated above. In the following paragraphs, I will provide my reasons for saying so.

“From the ancient

pyramids to World War I,

the prosthetic field has

morphed into a

sophisticated example

of man's determination

to do better.

The evolution of prosthetics is

a long and storied history,

from its primitive beginnings

to its sophisticated present, to

the exciting visions of the

future. As in the development

of any other field, some ideas

and inventions have worked

and been expanded upon,

such as the fixed-position

foot, while others have fallen

by the wayside or become

obsolete, such as the use of

iron in a prosthesis.

The long and winding road to

the computerized leg began

about 1500 B.C. and has

been evolving ever since.

There have been many

refinements to the first peg

legs and hand hooks that

have led to the highly (Evolution of prosthetics, n.d.) individualized fitting and casting of today's devices. But to appreciate how far the prosthetics field has come,

we must first look to the ancient Egyptians.” According to Kim M. Norton (2007).

My design project will address to those who have an amputated limb below the knee and are looking for a technological improved high-end prosthesis that will simulate the appearance of a natural limb so they will fit into...