Bionic Woman

Dr. Annie Simon (R) and Physical Therapist Aide Suzanne Finucane (L) remove sensors from Hailey Daniswicz’s leg at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s Center for Bionic Medicine April 13, 2011 Daniswicz was flexing muscles in her thigh as electrodes attached to her leg instructed a computer avatar to flex its knee and ankle — parts of her own leg that have been missing for 12 years. Daniswicz, a sophomore at Northwestern University who her lost her lower leg to bone cancer, is training the computer to recognize slight movements in her thigh so she can eventually be fitted with a “bionic” leg — a robotic prosthesis she would control with her own nerves and muscles. REUTERS/John Gress

Today, Reuters released a set of photos that I shot and a story about researchers in Chicago working with electromyography — electrical signals produced by muscles — and pattern recognition computer software to control and develop a new generation of robotic limbs.

By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO, April 20 (Reuters) – As 20-year-old Hailey Daniswicz flexes muscles in her thigh, electrodes attached to her leg instruct a computer avatar to flex its knee and ankle — parts of her own leg that have been missing for 12 years. Daniswicz, a sophomore at Northwestern University who her lost her lower leg to bone cancer, is training the computer to recognize slight movements in her thigh so she can eventually be fitted with a “bionic” leg — a robotic prosthesis she would control with her own nerves and muscles…. Read More…..

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