Dec 30 2010
Alion Science and Technology, a company specializing in defense operational support services, is working to improve the robotic prosthetic limb technology for defense amputees.
The company informed that it has received $1.4 million from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity to enhance the limb technology.
Alion has signed an agreement with Sigenics to develop a protocol and a modeling device for upper-limb prosthetics, which will facilitate the development of lightweight and low-cost device. The prosthetic unit will have an extended battery life and will prove more functional to the amputee. Signetics develops integrated circuits and also provides packaged parts for mixed-signal, analog and sensor applications.
According to Alion, the limb technology will enhance the development of electronic sensors and will aid in the development of virtual prototyping simulation models. These enhanced features will help the amputee to control the prosthetic in a better way.
Alion's Distributed Simulation Group Manager, Richard Brooks stated that the technology would help in developing a unique robotic prosthetic device for military amputees.