Freedom Innovations to Commercialize the World’s First Actively-Powered, Complete Lower Extremity Prosthesis

IRVINE, Calif., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Freedom
Innovations, a company that specializes in the development of high
technology lower extremity prosthetic devices, today announced a
worldwide licensing agreement. The agreement grants the company
exclusive rights to commercialize the world’s first lower extremity
prosthesis with actively powered knee and ankle joints that operate
synergistically.  Developed at the Vanderbilt University
Center for Intelligent Mechatronics in Nashville, Tennessee, this
groundbreaking technology will substantially improve an amputee’s
quality of life.

The convergence of technologies has made it possible for the
Vanderbilt system’s prosthetic knee and ankle joints to work in
unison. This allows above-knee amputees to walk 25% faster, while
expending 30–40% less energy compared to other state of the
art devices.  The increase in efficiency, paired with the
system’s overall functionality and fall prevention mechanisms, also
provides users with increased balance, agility and recovery
reflexes to prevent falls.  This improved level of safety will
reduce the potential for injury and costly hospital admissions.

The Vanderbilt Powered Knee and Ankle System features state of
the art microelectronics technology which facilitates intelligent
communication between the user and the prosthesis.
 Sophisticated software with intent recognition capabilities
analyzes the user’s movement patterns, such as weight shifting or
changes in joint angles.  These patterns are translated into
power-driven actions that help the user ambulate close to
biological norms.  The analysis occurs within a few hundred
milliseconds with smooth synchronization between the action of the
user and the prosthesis.  All of this occurs within a design
envelope that is comparable to human anatomy, which is critical for
user acceptance.  

In addition to increased safety and metabolic efficiencies, the
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