More than 1,600 US troops were amputated during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And veterans hospitals have treated some 20,000 arm amputees in 2016, according to Veterans Affairs Minister David Shulkin. The use of these prostheses requires an apprenticeship which can take several weeks, as any movement of the artificial arm takes place in coordination with sensors fixed on the shoes. For example, you have to lift your foot to raise your arm.
Nearly 80 veterans are already being trained across the United States, said Linda Resnik, who is in charge of this research program for veterans hospitals. But for now, because of the lack of prostheses available, even those who have started using the arm at home can not keep the prosthesis permanently.
Eight prostheses are now available and ten could be saled this year, said Friday Jay Burkholder, director of the American company Mobius Bionics, who oversees their manufacture.
Private health companies are great at developing high tech solutions, but terrible at providing affordable asistance.