What Does Being 'Bionic' Mean? | Hugh Herr | Google Zeitgeist

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[janetallen]

Amazing technology, I m impressed how this technology can give so many veterans a fuller life, I believe this is wonderful for so many people, I am a nurse, I believe that Oscars participation in sports is only positive.

[samsoy]

kind a quite to walk again....THANKS MUCH

[jafabian]

sorry for double post, but also they will probably be able to store kinetic energy as charge.

[jafabian]

I'm sure you can carry spare batteries and it will be designed to let you know somehow. It shouldn't be that much of a hassle, I mean people are more than happy to keep their phones charged and those aren't 100% essential.

[jafabian]

I would say it's a different type of prosthetic than the strictly functional kind that's supposed to get you places on a day to day basis, I'm sure it has its use, plus I don't know what production stage that has or if it's even available to the market to comment on that last bit. I think batteries will also improve with new technologies, such as using graphene and such.

[Benabik]

The transcript is wrong at 7:59. It should be "biomimetic" (mimicking biology), not "biomedic".

[jafabian]

Don't really mean to be snarky or anything, but it's kind of harsh to say that depending on batteries is in fact a worse handicap than not having legs.

[debunk]

If you change the anatomy of a competitior in an unequal way you change the comparision of competition. The lack of lower muscel fiber give the competitor a circulatory avantage and this provides more stamina in oxygenation. If you put metal in place of bone and skin on a boxer this is an advantage right? If your climbing feet dont weigh the same as heavy bone and skin you have an advantage. Wow was that easy!

[Quagigitymire]

Whether they want to admit it or not those competing in running events with prosthetic legs have an advantage which varies depending the distance of the race. Right off the bat, the lack of lower limbs reduces the weight as well as the stress on the cardiovascular system during competition. Then you have the "foot" of the prosthetic that has a spring like design to help push off when moving forward.

[nero]

if you just look at him from the hip up, you don't notice it. its crazy.

[debunk]

I just read on the Mt Washington rescue website that this guy Hugh Herr was lost for 3 days wandering in the snowy woods of the great gorge hiking trail area. They were trying to find his way back to the cabin that he and his partner were staying. For years he has told people that he lost his feet to frost bite moutain climbing!  It sounds like he lost more than his feet that sad day. 

[busterhyman]

Being dependent on batteries is a worse handicap. When I see him constantly shift back and forth it reminds me of someone on stilts trying to keep their balance. I would love to know how much battery was used during that awkward tennis dance he did.

[WillFowler]

Would love to see a no holds barred olympics - bring on all the upgrades we can engineer!

[BerkeHitay]

Nitpick: But there won't be any Olympics in 2050! :(

[mandoasoldier]

Can he run with this? Is he experience any kind of pain?

[busterhyman]

I cant understand how this guy is allowed to go on like this without being called out on the truth. Before he lost his feet in that incredibly youthful and tragic hiking accident he was 50 lbs heavier and 3" shorter. He now enjoys this undisclosed advantage when he climbs and that is in addition to the points made by De Bunk.