Research Project
Prosthetic's Effect on The Human Condition
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Major
What is your research?
My research focuses on why prosthetics fail to achieve the same functionality as their organic counterpart. I have been taking a look at journals describing the process of making a prosthetic limb. Often when performing a knee replacement, the bioimplant is made out of a material that corrodes with the body's blood. This issue can cause serious health risks. My research also looks at why we don't see a lot of people using advanced prosthetics that come close to emulating their organic counterparts. I have looked at the prices for the parts that go into really advanced prosthetics, and it seems that they are very expensive. For some industries, it is not cost-efficient to purchase more parts to make an advanced functioning prosthetic. For industries that can create advanced functioning prosthetics, the prices of obtaining them are very expensive. This may be the reason why there isn't a lot of advanced prosthetics being sold because they are too expensive for the general public.
Why is it important?
It is important for us to understand how we can improve prosthetic functionality because there are many people in this world that require a prosthetic limb. This article on biotechnology reported that there are over 2.1 million people that are currently living in this country without an organic limb. These people could be missing a limb due to a birth defect, accident, or war. The World Health Organization estimates that there are over 30 million people in need of a prosthetic limb. My research will highlight potential ways to improve functionality and potential barriers to obtaining high quality prosthetics. By improving the functionality of prosthetics and making them accessible, we can improve the daily routine and lives of patients.
