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Student Equips Amputee Swimmers With Amazing Appendage

by Warren Riddle on November 16, 2010 at 03:59 PM

neptune flipper
Prosthetic limb technology continues to advance at an astounding rate. Despite incredible developments like mind-control capabilities and super-hero implants, two -- albeit incredibly different -- areas still remain vastly underdeveloped: animal-inspired limbs and submersible prosthetic swimming equipment. Bionic paws for cats do already exist, and scientists actually fitted one double-amputee with a mermaid tail, but animal limbs have yet to become a truly feasible prosthetic option for humans.

Recently, though, Swedish industrial design student Richard Stark consulted with amputee swimmers to engineer a remarkable, yet seemingly simple, prosthetic fin called the Neptune. According to Wired, Stark equipped his flipper with "three 'fingers' -- a stiff digit in the middle flanked by two pliable ones -- which [allow] wearers to emulate the vaguely circular motion of treading water." The fin features adjustable flexibility ratios, and it also rotates 90-degrees (like the motion of an oar) to enable different swimming strokes. The most amazing aspect of all, though? Stark believes with a little more tinkering, he can offer the Neptune commercially -- for the practical, and admirable, price of just $350.

Tags: accessibility, amputation, design, flipper, health, medical, neptune, prosthetic, ProstheticLimbs, RichardStark, swimming, top

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