Abstract

The oldest found and identified prosthesis was the Egyptian mummy’s wooden big toe from approx. 3000 B.C. With the invention of gunpowder and the use of firearms, the number of limb amputations increased significantly, which consequently increased the number of disabled people. A field surgeon in the French army, A. Paré, designed movable prostheses that were very modern for those times. Simple machines used in their construction made it possible to perform bending and straightening movements, and his artificial hand called: ‘Le petit Lorrain’ with movable, spring fingers, even to perform a grip. Presently 15% of the population are people with disabilities. This is the biggest yet the most diverse minority in the world. Modern technologies allow the human brain to be used to control the prosthesis by connecting it to the nervous system. The innervation of the amputated limb is introduced to any muscles on which electrodes are placed that receive signals sent from the brain, activating the motors in the prosthesis responsible for its movement. To move such an advanced prosthesis, it is enough to think about the movement as in the case of a healthy limb. There are reports that in the future it will be possible to prosthetics the brain and lost memory, but research involving humans in this area remains a vision of the future. This study aims to present a brief history of prosthetics and the use of mechatronics in overcoming disability.

Key words:

disability, history of prosthetics, modern prostheses