A History of Knowledge and Production in Powered Prosthetic Arms

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-10358-5
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 214 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 479 g

This book presents a narrative and social science history of the powered upper-limb prosthesis. It examines how research, innovation and design changed in the prosthetics industry from 1945 to the present.

A History of Knowledge and Production in Powered Prosthetic Arms opens with a history of artificial upper-limb making from ancient Egypt to 1945. It surveys the transition from early modern iron hands to eighteenth-century realistic-looking prostheses, influenced by the new ideas about rehabilitation, politeness, disability and aesthetic improvement. The book traces the evolution of these ideas as well as Enlightenment visions of scientific discovery of the body and its application in reproducing nature through technological progress. It shows the transition in the twentieth century from the craft design of upper limbs to university and clinic-based interdisciplinary methods in the production of new electric and gas prosthetic arms and hands. It contains case studies on commercial limbs developed at MIT, Ottobock, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of New Brunswick, Ontario Centre for Crippled Children, Princess Margaret Rose Orthopaedic Hospital and the University of Utah.

The book will be of interest to undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members and professionals interested in biomedical engineering, prosthetics, rehabilitation, occupational therapy and the history of science, technology, medicine and disability.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate, Professional Reference, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core

Autoren/Hrsg.

Foord, David

Fachgebiete

• Medizin | Veterinärmedizin Medizin | Public Health | Pharmazie | Zahnmedizin Medizin, Gesundheitswesen Medizintechnik, Biomedizintechnik, Medizinische Werkstoffe
• Technische Wissenschaften Sonstige Technologien | Angewandte Technik Medizintechnik, Biomedizintechnik
• Medizin | Veterinärmedizin Medizin | Public Health | Pharmazie | Zahnmedizin Physiotherapie, Physikalische Therapie Prothetik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Introduction

- Definitions and Concepts

- A Long History of Artificial Arms

- A Transnational History of Powered Upper Limbs, 1945–2025

- The Boston Arm

- Ottobock Arms and Hands

- Pattern Recognition and Target Muscle Reinnervation

- Myoelectric Control and Arms for Children

- The i-Limb

- The Utah Arm

- New Directions

- Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

Dr. Foord is an associate professor at the University of New Brunswick. In addition to works on the upper limb powered prosthetics industry, he has authored histories of the US carbon black industry, Canadian telegraph, telephone and electric power industries and science, technology and innovation policy.