While putting notes together for this week's 2302 review of contemporary executive branch issues (I want to look at health care) I stumbled across a feature on the VA Health Administration's website about the "Darpa Arm," an advanced prosthetic arm funded and developed by the agency.
Prosthetic research has been spurred by an unexpected result of improved battlefield medical care. Previously, soldiers with severe injuries which did not cause immediate death would often die of blood loss or infections. This is less the case, but it means that more soldiers survive with lost limbs. This can obviously create problems with their ability to fit back into society. Advanced research in prosthetics could make this transition easier.
I thought it might be appropriate to mention this agency since many of the current technological items we enjoy today (including the internet) originally developed as DARPA projects. Current research, which in addition to prosthetics includes robotics, advanced batteries and alternative energy, will certainly provide the basis for future mass market products.
- Website: DARPA.
- Wikipedia: DARPA.
- Wikipedia: DARPA Grand Challenge.
- VA Research Currents.
- WAPO Story.
