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Double amputee walks again due to Bluetooth

recon13   on 25 January 2008 - 17:38 · 16 comments & 24868 views

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Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill lost both his legs above the knees when a bomb exploded under his Humvee while on patrol in Iraq on October 15, 2006. He has 32 pins in his hip and a 6-inch screw holding his pelvis together. Now, he's starting to walk again with the help of prosthetic legs outfitted with Bluetooth technology more commonly associated with hands-free cell phones. "They're the latest and greatest," Bleill said, referring to his groundbreaking artificial legs.

Bleill, 30, is one of two Iraq war veterans, both double leg amputees, to use the Bluetooth prosthetics. Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion. Bleill's set of prosthetics have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it's doing, how it's moving, whether walking, standing or climbing steps, for example. "They mimic each other, so for stride length, for amount of force coming up, going uphill, downhill and such, they can vary speed and then to stop them again," Bleill told CNN from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he's undergoing rehab.

View: Full Story @ CNN

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#1 SkyyPunk on 25 Jan 2008 - 18:00
This will give a whole new meaning to 'my legs fell asleep' (if you are familiar with bluetooth )

#2 gadean on 25 Jan 2008 - 18:20
amazing story. I'm glad to see that he's being treated well.
(2 replies) #3 Ogmius on 25 Jan 2008 - 18:48
Unfortunately he will only have a walk time of about 6 hours but standby time of 3 days on one charge.
#3.1 El Sid on 25 Jan 2008 - 18:52
ZING!
#3.2 shhac on 25 Jan 2008 - 19:33
(Ogmius said @ #3)
Unfortunately he will only have a walk time of about 6 hours but standby time of 3 days on one charge.
And he'll have to regenerate in his alcove at least once a day untill he can assimilate portable regeneration technology.
#4 ZombieFly on 25 Jan 2008 - 18:51
this could be fun if you can hack his legs!
#5 +chconline on 25 Jan 2008 - 19:44
I just found a new meaning to those arrow keys on my Bluetooth keyboard.
(2 replies) #6 Foub on 25 Jan 2008 - 20:14
There is a company in Montreal that also makes a prosthetic leg for above the knee amputees. I don't think they're using BlueTooth, though. It also allows them to run and climb and down stairs stairs without any help.
#6.1 Mean Mr Mustard on 25 Jan 2008 - 21:37
That's good news. I hope it isn't extremely expensive, but it probably is.
#6.2 Foub on 27 Jan 2008 - 03:47
(Mean Mr Mustard said @ #6.1)
That's good news. I hope it isn't extremely expensive, but it probably is.


Its around $25 000 per leg, but the government will cover 40% of it if need be.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/06/03/bi..._leg030603.html

http://www.victhom.com/index_en.htm

http://www.victhom.com/upload/Victhom_High.wmv

Last edited by Foub on 27 Jan 2008 - 03:57
#7 The Walker on 25 Jan 2008 - 23:56
We have the technology..

...The world's first bluonic man.
#8 Tikitiki on 26 Jan 2008 - 03:22
"Oh noes... my legz havz beenz haxed!"
(1 reply) #9 CheeseFart on 26 Jan 2008 - 06:18
couldn't you just run a wire inside the leg? like USB or something
#9.1 Quick Reply on 26 Jan 2008 - 12:48
I don't see the point of making it specifically Bluetooth either
#10 Narlzac85 on 27 Jan 2008 - 01:13
They should have used short range flux for communication at each joint. Less chance for interference and getting your legs taken over by a cell phone. That or wires. Its great that the guy can walk again, but bluetooth? I smell marketing...
#11 Joseph21 on 27 Jan 2008 - 09:29
whats next?
blu ray vision?

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