Cutting Edge Comfort

Bionic Skins: Working Towards the Perfect Fit We all want to feel our best, and live a life without pain, but at times it seems so out of reach for us amputees. Donning a prosthesis that is suppose to emulate a real leg gets the job done but, trust me, it is far from comfortable and often it becomes such a painful devise that amputees choose not to wear it for too long, even taking days off from wearing it, leaving them feeling incomplete and frustrated. Today I wanted to share with you an extraordinary company, created by Dr. Hugh Herr-bilateral below knee amputee, MIT professor and co-leader of the Yang Center for Bionics at MIT, Bionic Skins is changing the comfort game for the better. Lauren and Eric head up the Bionic Skins headquarters in Bedford, Mass. and graciously came on my podcast to share what Bionic Skins is, how it works, and the hopes and aspirations Hugh and his team have for building a better and more comfortable prosthesis for the amputee community. Eric is the “numbers guy”, checking stats, running the biometrics of the patients and making sure the measurements taken are accurate… among other hats he wears for the company. Lauren is the prosthetist; working with the patients, creating the sockets, and making sure the fit is everything it should be for comfort and durability. As we sit down and talk you can see how bright the future is for amputees. The technology is getting better and the understanding of what is needed for improving the quality of life for amputees is increasing. More research is being done, and talking with amputees helps bridge the gap of what we currently have, what we struggles with, and what is still needed to live actively and without restrictions. Bionic Skins is doing just that. They are currently work with patients, and taking new patients, that are below knee amputees all the while continuing to research, build studies, and improve on the technology that they are producing in house and through MIT’s Media Lab. Check out their website HERE You can also follow them on social Media platforms like Instagram and Facebook @bionicskins to stay up to date on their research and studies in which you may qualify to take part. Also, you can listen to my interview with Hugh Herr, himself, from this past April, on my podcast HERE Hugh and I discuss Bionic Skins toward the end of my interview where he discusses his design and how it was created. Thank you again, Lauren and Eric, for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us about the incredible work you’re doing to improve our lives. You are amazing people! Keep doing what you’re doing and I look forward to checking in with you again in the near future! I hope you’ve enjoyed, and found promise for a brighter future, listening to today’s podcast. Please remember to like, share and SUBSCRIBE to my podcast and my YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode! Have an amazing week and as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love, Dr Hugh Herr-Founder of Bionic Skins and “Yours Truly’ all set up for a gait study I did last year at MIT.