The History of Artificial Limbs

As you know, the people whose limbs have been amputated use artificial limbs which are known in the medical society as prosthetics in their daily life. Today it is known that simple prostheses were used even before Christ. However, I am not sure whether you know the part of NASA on the present form of artificial limbs.

While NASA was working on controlling the spacecraft on duties such as enabling an unmanned spacecraft to take stones from different planets or to provide its movement in space, the experts considered that they could use artificial limbs by innovating it. After NASA’s innovations, the private sector was inspired to create new and better artificial limbs to tackle the difficulties of humans and animals. Especially The Harshberger Prosthetic Center, which is a company that had specialized in making these devices, wanted to improve the process of making artificial limbs and offered collaboration to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and they succeeded in producing durable and lightweight devices, and NASA’s innovations and technologies provided the natural look and feel of flesh. They also make it affordable as well as reduce the cost of production.

Currently, millions of people who live with limb loss use artificial limbs as if they are their own flesh, and thanks to 3D printers, we are closer than ever to produce the full function of a biological limb. 

In conclusion, it is a fact that people have been using artificial limbs for a long time, but along with NASA’s innovations, the quality of these devices has improved. As far as I'm concerned, progression in other disciplines leads to discoveries, and we innovate the products that we have already been using with these discoveries. It shows us the importance of science.