Bluetooth-equipped prosthetic legs help double amputee walk again

As we've seen, there's plenty of different solutions out there for controlling prosthetic limbs, but the artificial legs now helping Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill walk certainly have to rank up there with the most inventive, and they don't even rely on brain control. Instead, the legs employ tried and true Bluetooth technology, which has previously been used to allow a single prothestic leg to mimic the individual's other leg but, in this case, is being use to allow one prosthetic leg to mimic the other. To control them, Bleill simply applies force with his thigh muscles to get things moving or slow them down, with built-in motors in the legs allowing him to walk longer without getting tired. As you can see in the video available courtesy of CNN at the read link below, that setup appears to work remarkably well, and Bleill hopes he'll soon get to the point where he needs just one cane before eventually ditching them altogether.

[Andrew Jones @ Jan 25th 2008 2:41PM]

"and they doesn't even rely on brain control."
'nuff said. Please fix the grammar.

[System48 @ Jan 25th 2008 2:43PM]

Apparently the writer's hands don't rely on brain control either.

[aaoaoo @ Jan 25th 2008 2:44PM]

With "30 Rock" in reruns, I think Tracy Morgan's dabbling in tech blog writing.

[dcny @ Jan 25th 2008 2:43PM]

thats actually great and no one try to make a joke about the legs

[System48 @ Jan 25th 2008 2:47PM]

The only thing I was thinking about was whether or not someone could make a BT joystick...you see where I'm going.

[justcoshesaidit @ Jan 25th 2008 3:19PM]

Mamma called them my magic shoes!

[aboriginal @ Jan 25th 2008 2:46PM]

New this war was good for somethin' . . . advancing bionic technology. Seems most new tech developments come from war and bionic men will be this one's legacy.

[System48 @ Jan 25th 2008 2:54PM]

So George W. will bring about the apocolypse.

[Brian @ Jan 25th 2008 2:55PM]

I'm just waiting for some hacker to hack into the bluetooth communications and send some guy running.

[Andrew @ Jan 25th 2008 3:46PM]

Or better yet, make him dance on a table.

[jacquerr @ Jan 27th 2008 3:59PM]

my god. i must say i spit out my juice and laughed my ass off. good show!

[Naveed @ Jan 25th 2008 2:56PM]

bluetooth has to be one of the worst new technologies out. Its been a few years and it just doesnt work well

[Andrew @ Jan 25th 2008 6:29PM]

What rubbish! Bluetooth is a wonderful and functional technology that was invented TEN YEARS AGO (1998). You obviously don't know much about it's practical uses or it's technical merits. Yet you find the time to bitch about it on Engadget, typical.

[michas_pi @ Jan 25th 2008 2:58PM]

So, do the legs support A2DP?

[IndiaTech @ Jan 25th 2008 2:58PM]

This is not a joke but does this mean this guy cannot walk during in-flight because you are required by law to shut off all wireless equipment.

I mean, are his leg signals shielded so that it doesn't interfere (or get interfered) with other external signals (FCC Compliance)?

[whatishalo? @ Jan 25th 2008 3:02PM]

Good question...."Please sir, you will have to check your legs at baggage claim..."

[Andrew @ Jan 25th 2008 6:31PM]

And you think he would prefer wires between his legs? I'd rather not if it were me. No other wireless technology would be FCC safe either! Unless you're thinking of using infrared?? Either way there's always the *wheelchair* option on a flight. And I believe in the person in question would much rather walk this way than complain on Engadget :)

[kevjohn @ Jan 25th 2008 3:08PM]

Immediately after this press briefing, Lance Cpl. Bleill submitted a job application with OCP, based out of Old Detroit.

[justin @ Jan 25th 2008 3:18PM]

I'd hate to play him in a game of Wii Soccer.




Too soon?

[Andreas @ Jan 25th 2008 3:25PM]

Batteries? Kinetic? what happens if the juice runs low when hes walking somewhere? Still I suppose better than not being able to walk.

[Alimas @ Jan 25th 2008 3:56PM]

What happens when one legs batter dies mid step? Does the other leg mimic stopping mid step and the poor guys left stuck on the ground where ever he was till someone runs over with some double As?

[Horace Williams @ Jan 25th 2008 3:30PM]

ROBOCOP

[Brian @ Jan 25th 2008 4:23PM]

Haha yeah just waiting to see the gun pop out of the leg.

[Timmy @ Jan 25th 2008 4:03PM]

In 3 weeks they will be sold by WowWee for 99 dollars, and you should see the Demo dance when they Wake Up.

[Brad @ Jan 25th 2008 4:38PM]

Unfortunately, A2DP isn't supported, so only hopping is possible.

[x20mar @ Jan 25th 2008 4:54PM]

What happens when you pair the legs with your phone?

[Timmy @ Jan 25th 2008 5:16PM]

You get to choose the "Dance Tone" you do when your mother or your sister calls, each can be different for whom ever is on your 5 list.

[TJ Johnson @ Jan 25th 2008 5:17PM]

The only thing better than BT-enabled legs? Chuck Norris-enabled legs...

I wonder if they have an OBEX profile for a round-house kick to the face.

[Dakota @ Jan 25th 2008 6:07PM]

... bluejacking FTW

[Halex @ Jan 25th 2008 6:33PM]

Are we getting closer to Ghost in the Shell-like limbs? And, maybe sometime not too far from now, entire bodies?
I will surely like to see how things like this turn out! The exoskeletons some companies are developing also look promising: the times to come are promising, sure.

[Wwhat @ Jan 26th 2008 2:40AM]

Great, now send him back to iraq and let's see if we can't develop a bluetooth head/brain next, make sure it has glowing eyes.

[Garst @ Jan 26th 2008 3:38AM]

Can you also take the thing off and make calls with it like Agent 86?

[Buddha @ Jan 26th 2008 7:31AM]

I wanna see him walk when he gets hacked. ^_^

[9bit @ Jan 26th 2008 11:41PM]

This is fine as long as he doesn't try running in the olympics...

[Dave @ Jan 27th 2008 5:52AM]

Stage 1 in development of RoboVeteran

[Theodore Evanosky @ Jan 29th 2008 3:41PM]

tHIS IS A TREMENDOUS ADVANCEMENT IN THE FIELD OF PROSTHETICS. cONGRESS SHOULD MANDATE THIS FOR WAR-WOUNDED VETERANS WHO HAVE LOST LEGS AND ARMS, AND INSURANCE COMPANIES SHOULD ACCEPT THIS IN CASES INVOLVING ACCIDENTS INVOLVING NON-VETERANS.

[Theodore Evanosky @ Feb 4th 2008 11:29AM]

This is a tremendous advancement in prosthetics, and should be a mandatory congressional approval for disabled war veterans.
Insurance companies should provide assistance to non-veterans who have lost limbs in acidents.