Affordable Relief

PROSTHETICS

CANADA-Every year, more than 25,000 people In developing countries are mutilated by land mines. For most, high-tech prosthetic limbs are prohibitively expensive, often costing more than $1,000 each. Enter Sébastien Dubois, a Quebec industrial designer. The artificial foot he created weighs less than a pound and uses materials readily available in poor countries-a combination of fi berglass,rubber,glue,and high-density polyethylene. Cost: $8. Dubois's design earned the former mechanical engineering student from Quebec's Université de Sherbrooke the 2007 first prize from INDEX, a Copenhagen-based, nonprofit organization that recognizes designs for Improving human life worldwide.

Dubois says the structure of the "energy-return" prosthetic foot stores the energy of the patient and propels It.This principle significantly improves the amputee's walking and reduces his or her effort. One of INDEX'S jury members, lgnaas Verpoest, praised Dubois' ability to simplify the production process: The fiberglass is placed in a wooden mold. Impregnated by hand, and put in a plastic bag, from which the air is extracted during curing."These are all extremely simple operations, which can be carried out by anyone with a little technical aptitude and which require only a small investment/'Verpoest said. -PIERRE HOME-DOUGLAS

Copyright AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION Jan 2008
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