History of Prosthetics
Briefing: Prosthetics have been around for hundreds of years. There are documented cases of the use of wooden and metal arms and legs that go back to the Egyptians. Prosthetics have advance tremendously in the last few years. They now have different designs and are made of different material based on the patient's personal needs and functions that need to be accommodated, whether it is to walk, run, pick up specific items, etc.
You will research this topic individually and answer the following questions:
What are some significant achievements in this field? What is the timeline of growth in this field? What materials have been used?
Once the research is done individually, students will meet in their groups and share their findings. Group members will then brainstorm ways to design a prosthetic leg for a dog. Students will think about ways in which a dog moves and lives. To make this a fair design problem for all, we will all design the leg for a Labrador Retriever. This will allow students to research the trait that this K-9 has to better suit their design. Think about shape, material, how it will be made and work, and last but not least, the estimated cost of the unit. Students will follow the design process and make a prototype out of any material they wish. Students will be provided with, but are not limit to, vex kits, cardboard, paper, tape, and glue. Once the prototype is complete, students will prepare a presentation to share with the class. Students may use Microsoft PowerPoint or any other form of presentation as long as it includes the following: A visual to show the workings of their design, the groups design process, and explain how they came up with their design.
Da Vinci artist or Machine
Objective: Students will learn about robotic surgery and how it has advanced the medical field. Students will then design a robot that will be able to remove an object that is submerged in jello. The students will remove this object leaving the jello as untouched as possible.
Rational: The jello will represent human tissue, and there will be different layers to represent the different layers of tissue on our body with different tensile strengths. The purpose of this will show students how robotic surgery needs to be precise and detailed; showing how incisions must be made and go through different thicknesses of tissue.
