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Thanks to Bluetooth technology, Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bliell is starting to walk again. Bliell, while on patrol in Iraq, lost both of his legs above the knees when a bomb exploded under his Humvee. He has 32 pins in his hip and a 6 inch screw holding his pelvis together.
So how did Bluetooth technology help this man walk again?
Bliell prosthetic legs are equipped with Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. Each Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it’s doing (moving, walking, standing, etc).
Bliell told
CNN, "As we walk, everything is initiated by our muscle movement. I start walking and my thigh will bring the leg up. And it starts slowly, after one or two steps it recognizes that they're starting to walk and so these legs start walking on their own. And then they mimic each other, so for stride length and for the amount of force coming up. For going uphill, downhill and such. They can vary speed, and then to stop them again I will apply resistance with my own thigh muscles to slow them down."
This just shows how much of an amazing impact Bluetooth technology can have on our society. For most people, Bluetooth is primarily known for its use with cell phones and headsets but it is used for much more. As you can see, it’s also making HUGE strides in the health industry as well!
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