Samantha Douglas
Prosthetic Limbs
Mr.Reuter
December 15, 2015
Mind Control
Every day it seems there are new technology’s made that help make certain aspects of people’s lives easier, but there has been a new kind of technology that will change many people's lives in every way. It is new prosthetics that are made to be controlled by the brain. This new product has been made for those with paralysis or missing limbs. They are able to move and control the prosthetic just by thinking about it. Many people are unable to utilize regular prosthetics because their remaining limb is too short to control the prosthetic. With the new technology, scientists have come up with a way to connect the brain signals to the prosthetic limb to make it move and feel the way they want.
Many of the consumers were previously in some type of armed forces, the military has invested over $100 million dollars in the research for these advanced prosthetics. While military spending usually goes towards weapons and wars, this spending is helping those who are recovering from their injuries that they have sustained while away at war. Many of the people in need of prosthetic limbs, often are unable to work because they are considered handicapped and have to live off the money the government gives them called disability grants, this is a small part of the government spending. A lot of the people are young and able, but they are unable to move around the way they may need to for certain jobs. As the success rates for this new prosthetic grow, the demand will increase.
When people get these prosthetic limbs, they have to go through many steps to get their mind exercised to be able to move the prosthetic where they want. Consumers that buy the bionic limb have to pay for the prosthetic limb along with the training it takes to get their brain to control the prosthetic. This money goes towards more research that will make the product even better for new consumers.
Once the people are able to control the prosthetic they can eventually go back to work and are qualified for more jobs. This means they will no longer have to live off the money they were receiving for their disability and can provide for themselves. If there is a high success rate with this new technology there would be a lot more people in the workforce that would decrease unemployment. With more people working there will be more money within the government that can be spread out to other government spending.
There is a lot of competition in the research for this new technology because it is a life changing project for the consumer and the producers because from the breakthroughs in this research could commence more projects like this one. As we continue to accomplish goals like this one, it will change more and more people's lives and inspire them to attain their goals that without these new findings, would not be able to accomplish or even attempt.
Citations
L. Davis, Josh. "Mind-Controlled Prosthetic Leg Unveiled." IFLScience. 20 May 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
Murphy, Mike. "This Mind-controlled Prosthetic Robot Arm Lets You Actually Feel What It Touches." Quartz. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
Niiler, Eric. "Mind-Controlled Prostheses Let Hands Feel Again : DNews." DNews. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
This is a wonderful topic because its so true, I think it has a lot bigger influence on the economy than people realize. Because these people are usually highly trained but because they have a missing limb(s), they can't get to their full potential, which first of all isn't fair for them. Second, they can put so much more into the economy because they aren't living off government checks. Though I would like to know how they plan on doing the surgery, because from what the picture depicts, that's very extensive and dangerous surgery due to the fact the cranial cavity is being opened. Unless some how it goes between the skull and skin.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, what a lovely topic and thanks so much for sharing.
It's always amazing to see where technology will go next. It wasn't all that long ago that we pictured robotic arms that could move just like real ones as science fiction. This is an incredible feet that is sure to change the lives of everyone in need of prosthetic limps. Now it will be much easier for them to complete simple tasks as if they never lost a limb to begin with. Though I have no doubt in my mind that the cost of this new technology will be no less than a fortune, they are the next step in medical hardware.
ReplyDeleteThere will probably be many companies going after this business right now because of how expensive the limbs probably are and the fact that it is a growing market. Sometimes the business might be pretty slow when America isn't at war and less people are in combat, but when there are active duty military personnel, there should be a lot of money to be made. It is sad we need this program, but it is necessary and it is very good that some people are able to get their lives back after an incident where they lose a limb. Also, the technology is very cool and I'm sure they could expand it to other products in the future.
ReplyDeleteProsthetics are becoming more and more common these days. With the new technology around, they are becoming easier to control by using your brain, like you said. In the past when they were first introduced they were attached to other body parts by strings so you'd have to move another body part to make the prosthetic do what you wanted. Having it controlled by your brain is a huge step because it becomes more integrated with the user. In the near future, I think this technology will continue to evolve and become more efficient, more human-like, and hopefully less expensive.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting article, the idea that some of our military spending goes towards helping those recover from wars is great. On the other side this whole thing reminds me of the game series Deus ex. In the video game they have acomplished what you are talking about and have made bionic limbs stronger and more efficient than normal limbs. In the game those who have those prostec limbs can actually out perform those with normal limbs. We are already seeing some of this today with the Australian runner the had his legs amputated. He was able to easily out person normal runners, and tests have shone that with his prosthetic he is faster than normal people.
ReplyDeleteIt's very cool that your mind can control fake limbs! Even though the demand for them will hopefully increase, causing the prices to go down eventually, how expensive is it for someone who is already paying lots of hospital bills? Mind controlling prosthetic limbs would definitely be worth it and life changing but and it's great that these people would be able to go back to work, but if the demand does increase it would be much harder to make these prosthetics because they are custom made for each patient.
ReplyDeleteProsthetic limbs have been a very important advancement in technology. They not only improve living quality overall, but also increase individuals' abilities, and - like you said - increase their ability to work. This increases their human capital. In the future, technology like this will continue to improve thanks to the entrepreneurship of engineers.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to lose an arm I would not be able to do any of my hobbies. Gaming, guitar, drumming, fishing, all of it. With my planes of joining the national guard, going to war is a possibility, and so is coming back dead, or without an arm. If that were to happen, its nice to know there is research and progress coming towards this to reduce the impacts. But I can't help but wonder how it will work. For the guitar, I don't think about where my fingers go, I feel, and know these shapes by heart. I can think of moving my arm without actually doing it, so I wonder how it will know the difference.
ReplyDeleteThese new prosthetic limbs will definitely make a difference in the lives of those who have lost a limb. I can't imagine the feeling of trying a prosthetic for the first time and doing tasks that couldn't be done before hand. Although prosthetics are expensive, spending that much would be worth it, as prosthetics are life changers for some. I was amazed to read that with the new technology around, it is becoming easier to control by using your brain; However, prosthetics will become even more advanced in the near future. With the continuing advancements in technology, I am anxious to see what medical technology, like prothetics, will be like in the future and what the costs will be as the demand increases.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is everything in today's world. Soon to see cars driving themselves and all sorts of technology introduced to help make lives easier, however the cost of this technology will making humans more lazy and dependent.
ReplyDeleteThis new technology is great to help people that need prosthetic limbs but also help the wounded veterans. Also I have never known that some of the government spending for the military is for stuff other than guns and utilities. It is great that the technology is getting better so that the people that need them can get them.
ReplyDeleteProsthetics are becoming such a commonality.Like you said, scientists are making it an easier invention while using the brain to create it. I know when they used to be around they were sort of a hassle to control and get used to. Having your brain be the center of control is a major technological step in the human environment. I think in the future they'll become even more common and probably less expensive.
ReplyDeleteProsthetics have been very popular now a days which is good so that people that need them can get them so that they can continue to do the regular day to day activities. Making some that can be controlled by your brain is even better than the ones that don't especially for those that have shorter limbs and wouldn't be able to move the other ones around. I think that after time goes on that the price will go down and they will become more advanced and perfected after many years.
ReplyDeleteProsthetic's have developed so much over the years by advancements in technology. With these new advancements people are able to function more normally and without discomfort. It is nice to have these things for people who lose a limb because it allows them to participate in the everyday activities that require all of your limbs. Hopefully in the future they will become more affordable so that everybody in need could get their hands on them.
ReplyDeleteSomething really neat that I think falls along the lines of prosthetics and connecting to the brain is the ability for doctors to actually reconnect nerves in patients that have lost the use of their legs so that they can walk again. It'd be really neat to see if the technology that allows brains to control prosthetics with the science of reconnecting nerves to make a a new technology for the future. Thanks for this article it was really neat.
ReplyDeleteWith the increasing rate of people who need prosthetics, I'm glad we are finally getting to a point where these prosthetics can move and feel in a much easier and more natural way, regardless of the condition of the remaining limb. Hopefully the price for this will go down a bit over time, so that it can be affordable by the common person. The demand for these kinds of prosthetics is sure to rise significantly.
ReplyDeleteAs of recently, prosthetic have become more and more innovative and useful for more types of amputees. However, as they become more and more advanced, producers need to raise prices of these prostheticss, which become a big trade off for its consumers. The high demand and relatively low supply also adds to the reason why there is so much competition and therefore the businesses can raise the prices. Hopefully they will become more of an inelastic good, and therefore the prices can come back down to affordable prices because in our world today, normal capability isn't a luxury, but a necessity and thing that everyone should have.
ReplyDeleteI think its really cool that people who are missing a limb can get a prosthetic and use that prosthetic as their own limb. Especially know with the advancement of how your brain controls the prosthetic. It's great that the money from the consumers goes to more research and advancements.
ReplyDeleteSince I am seeing star wars tonight this article makes me really excited that we could have robotic limbs like Luke and Anakin Skywalker in the future, so that's my personal geek coming out. Anyways, very nice article, this is always a very interesting topic because it helps out those with disabilities and can make their lives extremely easier. The only thing that worries me is the cost to create such a thing, not many people could afford a robotic limb. And what happens when it receives wear and tear? Humans heal themselves, broken bones and torn muscles heal, but if something were to be severely damaged with the robotic arm it could severely harm the person or cost a large amount of money to heal.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I thought that your post was very interesting and insightful. I had no idea that prosthetic limbs were this advanced, and that they could do so much. It is amazing to think how far technology has improved over such a short amount of time. I thought that your economic analysis was accurate. Overall, I think that your post would be more interesting if you explored the more specific ways in which the limbs improve the economy rather than the broad interpretation that you present in your post. Maybe you could have included some of the determinants of supply and demand to further your argument. Overall, nice job!
ReplyDeleteThese new, advanced prosthetics will certainly be beneficial to those who consume them, not only in the increased productivity given to the disabled who consume them, but also in terms of the large amounts of utility a consumer will acquire from first consuming such an item.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, as there would be sizable external benefits to society from these individuals getting advanced prosthestics (increased general productivity, reduced costs of assertive care) there would be positive externalities. Unless the government were to sufficiently subsidize the prosthetics to the point where the socially optimal quantity were consumed, this good would be underutilized and society would experience a deadweight loss. It appears that along with government funding for research, the government must devise an appropriate subsidy program in this case so that the prostheitics are efficiently supplied.
Prosthetic limbs are a great idea. They give those who don't have limbs a chance. But it has its drawbacks. The cost would be the primary concern. In order to pay for this kind of thing the price of the limb itself would be through the roof. This is because this kind of technology isn't common yet. Overall, great work.
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