Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 10-3
Prosthetic hand of
the type made
famous by the knight
Götz von Berlich.
(Courtesy of Schloss
Jagsthausen.)
FIGURE 10-4
Modern copy of a
cosmetic wooden
hand with limited
movement.
(Courtesy of
Mantiques Modern,
with permission.)
observations of a bilateral upper-arm amputee who was able to remove his hat, open his
purse, and even sign his name.
French army barber and surgeon Ambroise Pare is considered to be the father of mod-
ern amputation surgery and prosthetic design. In 1529 he introduced modern amputation
procedures to the medical community and a few years later started making prostheses for
upper- and lower-extremity amputees. He also invented a kneeling peg leg and foot pros-
thesis with a fixed position, adjustable harness, knee lock control, and other engineering
features that are still in use today. His work showed the first true understanding of how a
prosthesis should function, as illustrated in the extract from his collected works shown in
Figure 10-5 (Norton, 2007).
