Alion to Research Robotic Prosthetic Limbs

Alion Science and Technology has recently been awarded a $1 million contract to lead a modeling and simulation research effort that could help enhance the field of prosthetic limbs for wounded soldiers. The 18-month, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity will explore affordable and improved approaches in bringing robotic control technology to the field of prosthetic limbs. Alion will develop a protocol and modeling tool for robotic, upper limb prosthetics that may lead to the development of an affordable, lightweight, prosthetic device that is more functional to the amputee, more power-efficient and has an extended battery life. The program is designed to augment and accelerate the development of implantable electronic sensors and the development and application of virtual prototyping simulation models, which will ultimately help the amputee better control the prosthetic. Since 2003, 1,145 soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have had a limb amputated.