Blog #7

For me this mini course really opened my eyes to all the different types of technology that can be used to help people have a better quality of life in general. The surplus of information that we have received this week from visiting Dr. Brewer, doing research and reading Soul Surfer together have bettered my understanding of the use of prosthetics. Similarly to in the book The Running Dream  I feel that this opened my eyes up to the way I now view people with different handicaps, like Jessica. This mini has definitely changed the way I look at people who have disabilities, whether it may be having a prosthetic or another disability.

Blog #6

If I were in a situation similar to either Bethany or Jessica I would probably react in a way similar to both of these girls. I definitely don't think that I would be able to get over the traumatic experience as quickly as Bethany did, but on the other hand I don't think that I would get wrapped up in the entire think the way Jessica did. I think that my reaction would fall somewhere in between these two different reactions. For me the deciding factor over whether or not to get a prosthetic would depend solely on the situation. My decision would also depend on if it were my arm or leg that I would be getting a prosthetic for. I think that my friends and family would be the main thing that would help me get through the hard situations, similarly to the way Bethany's faith helped her get through the aftermath of her accident.

Blog #5

Today when we visited with Dr. Brewer we focused on discussing the different types of grip and how this can be applied to the use of prosthetic. There are six different types of grasp: hook, lateral, palmar, cylindrical, spherical, and pincer. The hook grasp is the type of grasp used when preforming tasks like holding a bag. The lateral grasp is the type of grasp used for holding very thin objects such as paper. The palmar grasp is the type of grasp used for holding a writing implement or eating utensil. The cylindrical grasp is the type of grasp used for holding something similar to a cup. The spherical grasp is the type of grasp used for holding objects such as a ball. The pincer grasp is the grasp used for holding very small objects such as a ball bearing. The concept "Degrees of Freedom" refers to the idea of how many different ways a hand can move. The actual number of degrees of freedom is highly controversial it can range anywhere from 21 to 27 degrees of freedom.

Blog #4

I think that Bethany would think highly of our planed proposal for Chrisliane. The Otto Bock is light weight, easy to use, and very simple yet affective. This prosthetic is also great for active lifestyles. This being true Bethany would definitely be supportive of the product. The use of this prosthetic would highly impact someones life who is similar to Bethany. This product could be useful for a amputee who is active and wants a simple yet affective prosthetic like Bethany may.

Haitian Amputee Mother's Alliance Case - Chrisliane

The aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti undoubtedly left a mark on this poverty stricken nation.  Approximately 250,000 Haitians were injured as a result of the earthquake and of those injured, approximately 100,000 were amputees. After the earthquake the demand for aid from surrounding nations was enormous; sure enough many countries were there to help. The need for prosthetics is still a predominant problem in Haiti. They are trying to urge outside countries and foundations to donate used prosthetics to the amputees. They are also trying to educate amputees to aid fellow amputees about cleaning their wounds and other fundamental processes. This is very important to prevent infections in the patients’ wounds. The Haitian Amputee Mothers Alliance (HAMA) was created in an effort to obtain high-quality prosthetics for the members of the group (about 60 women). Another important part is to make sure that their new limbs will be incorporated to fit their life styles.  Chrisliane, an active 20 year old woman who lost her leg in the Haitian earthquake, is a member of this alliance looking for a better prosthetic.  We propose the Otto Bock Harmony P3 prosthetic leg for Chrisliane. This device has a very high rating for active amputees. This prosthetic has many advantages especially how the leg stays on very well due to the innovative suction technology.  As the amputee transfers weight on to the prosthetic it generates negative pressure, thus suctioning the prosthetic onto the remaining limb. This makes it more comfortable because the socket is connected using only air. The prosthetic also reduces the painful forces within the socket, and improves body awareness of the new limb. It is also very light weight which is perfect for patients with active lifestyles such as Chrisliane. 

                                                                       Otto Bock Harmony Video

Otto Bock website : 

http://www.ottobock.com/cps/rde/xchg/ob_com_en/hs.xsl/29537.html 

Blog #3

Surfer Bethany Hamilton was faced with a life changing accident in 2003 when she was 13 years old. When she was surfing on Halloween with her friend Alana (and her family)  at one of her favorite surf spot she was attacked by a shark. When Bethany was faced with this obstacle she had only one option to tackle it and get back into the water to do what she loved. She knew that with God by her side she was capable of surfing again. With here amazing and inspirational story she is definitely a huge role model to many younger surfers and ever people who are not surfers.
After reading the book Soul Surfer I was confronted with the question of what I would do if one day I woke and one of my arms was gone. Personally I have no idea what I would do. I feel that initially I would be very upset but I think that I would be able to accept the situation and try to continue living my life day by day. This book also made me realize that you can't take anything for granted because at any given moment everything can be taken away. For me skiing is a huge part of my life, similarly to the way surfing is a part of Bethany's life. If I were to loose my arm in a skiing accident I think that I would have a similar drive to get back out on the slopes doing what I love to do. Seeing how Bethany used her faith to overcome this huge obstacle I feel that I would have my family and friends to help me get through the situation.

Bethany after the attack

Bethany and Alana a few weeks before the attack

Bethany's website -- http://bethanyhamilton.com/galleries/photos/

Blog #2

          Our first visit to QoLT was a great learning experience. It was exciting to see the different uses for robotics that apply to assisting people with disabilities. The advanced robotic technology for mechanical arms was intriguing. Hearing first hand from a person who has experienced life with a prosthetic was also eye opening. The different opinions about the use of mechanical prosthetic arms compared to non-mechanical arms is another interesting aspect. The view that she had only ever know the arm she had and did not think that she would want to make the switch to mechanical. She seemed to think that if someone was getting there first arm as a mechanical arm the transition may be easier. She was also the first person I have meet who has a prosthetic arm.
          The facility was wonderful. The different labs and rooms that we visited seemed to serve their purpose very well. The robotic arm that Dr. Brewer was working on was interesting. The research that she was doing about people who had previously had a stroke of some sort was insightful. The information that Dr. Brewer shared with us about HERB was amazing. I find it amazing that a robot can preform to such a high degree of intelligence.