The first Utah amputees have been fitted with a new generation artificial leg which reacts and moves almost like the real thing.
In fact, the amazing C-Leg - as it's called - actually saved a sea port workers life when the World Trade Center towers collapsed almost a year ago.
The story from Science Specialist Ed Yeates.
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More Info
- C-Leg Open House
Saturday, August 24
11am to 4pm
750 East 100 South
SLC, UT
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Lyle Earl and Aaron Murray are the first of three Utahn's walking on a new artificial leg. It's beyond anything above-the-knee amputees have had so far.
ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "THE NEW GENERATION C-LEG IS A FAR CRY FROM THESE OLDER ARTIFICIAL LIMBS - SOME OF WHICH WEIGH AS MUCH AS 17 POUNDS."
Just two weeks ago, Lyle took his new C-Leg on a hiking trip.
LYLE EARL: "AND I WAS WALKING OVER TREE BRANCHES. I WAS STEPPING ON BIG TRUNKS AND STEPPING DOWN OFF - AND WALKING DOWN HILLS - AND JUMPING ACROSS STREAMS - JUST LIKE IT WAS A NORMAL LEG - JUST LIKE IT WAS A REAL LEG."
The knee joint is what makes the limb perform so well. It has a computer inside that continually samples what the user needs - 200 times a second.
AARON MURRAY: "IT'S REALLY AWESOME - BECAUSE LIKE SAY I GO SKIING. I CAN HAVE IT REGULAR MODE UNTIL I GET UP TO WHERE I WANT TO GO SKIING - THEN I SWITCH IT INTO STANCE TWO FOR THE SKIING. AND WHEN I GET BACK DOWN, I SWITCH IT BACK IN JUST BY CLICKING MY TOES THREE TIMES."
Tapping the toes or the heels is about all it takes to change from play to work or work to play.
The leg has two force sensors in the ankle that tell the computer in the knee whether the user is standing on the heel or the toe.
THOMAS ANDREW, PRESIDENT, ABILITY PROSTHETIC SYSTEMS: "IT KNOW THAT PLUS IT HAS A POSITION SENSOR IN THE KNEE THAT TELLS THE COMPUTER WHERE THE KNEE IS IN INFLECTION AND HOW FAST IT'S GOING - THE VELOCITY."
On sidewalks - through weeds and rocks and down a hill - down stairs - even riding a bike - this limb is as close to the real leg Aaron lost three years ago - and Lyle lost 20 years ago.
AARON: "WHEN I HAVE LONG PANTS ON, YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL. YOU WALK SMOOTHLY. THAT'S WHAT THE LEG - THE LEG ALLOWS YOU TO LIVE LIFE - TO LIVE IT AND LOVE IT."
Aaron and Lyle say it's also sobering - knowing this new piece of technology saved a Port Authority workers life in last year's terrorist attack in New York. He rapidly walked down stairs - traversing more than 72 floors - exiting the building safely just before the collapse.
Ed Yeates, Eyewitness News, SLC.
August 8, 2002
