Simple tech" is how 3mE biomechanical engineer Heike Vallery describes the device she has invented with colleague Gerwin Smit: a prosthesis which could make a world of difference for people with artificial knees. The so-called pneumatic stand-up prosthesis works a bit like an office chair. When you sit down, the air inside is compressed. As you start to stand up, a sensor detects that and releases air to give you an extra upward push. Unlike standard prostheses, then, this one helps you to stand rather than hindering you.
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