Athletic world record using space tech-enhanced prosthetic leg

At the recent Paralympics 2008, Wojtek Czyz jumped 6.50 meters, setting a new world record. He made jump on a prosthetic leg equipped with a bracket made from materials developed by the European Space Agency for the International Space Station. From the ESA Portal:

"The objective was to see how to improve his performance, and we found the most important problem was related to a connection angle, the so-called L-bracket, between the knee joint and the foot module," explains Dr Werner Dupont, MST Aerospace Managing Director.

Czyz testing space tech prosthesis "In collaboration with the German company ISATEC, we developed a new L-bracket using materials originating from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), an instrument that will be mounted on the International Space Station to study extraterrestrial anti-matter, matter and missing matter."

The advantage of these space materials is that they are extremely strong and at the same time lighter than conventional products available, both important advantages for top athletes’ performance. The problem with Czyz’ previous prosthesis was that it tended to break when he performed to the maximum of his capacity.

Space tech helps to reach long-jump world record

• [solpatrol]

  @3, 7

  See the story regarding a double-amputee South African runner who was disqualified from competing in the Beijing Olympics by the IOC based on a “scientific study” that his prosthetics used 25% less energy than regular legs:

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7141302.stm

  Notably, while he would not have been a medal contender, the runner’s times aren’t Olympic medal-class (his career best in the 400m is 46.34), but would have won, for example, the Ohio high school championship last year..

• [dainel]

  Runners – will longer legs not give you longer strides, faster speed, more endurance?

  Long jumpers and high jumpers – longer legs.

  Throwing sports (javelin, shot put) – long arms.

  Shooting & archery – better eyesight.

• [angryhippo]

  #15: I would say having shorts on is an advantage if you are a male. Those berries sure can jostle when running at top speed!

• [AirPillo]

  I believe there will come a point when Olympic athletes reach the absolute limits of human performance, and can only match the world record. Paralympians will just get better and better as materials technology improves. Who knows, maybe the Olympics will eventually be overshadowed by the Paralympics, as the athletes in the latter perform ever more awe-inspiring feats while the Olympians just can’t keep up.

  Coverage of the 2048 Cyborg Olympics is brought to you by…

• [kryptik]

  I believe there will come a point when Olympic athletes reach the absolute limits of human performance, and can only match the world record. Paralympians will just get better and better as materials technology improves. Who knows, maybe the Olympics will eventually be overshadowed by the Paralympics, as the athletes in the latter perform ever more awe-inspiring feats while the Olympians just can’t keep up.

• [pauldrye]

  Just to be clear, the world record long jump is Mike Powell’s 8.95 metres (29′, 4 1/2″). I presume this is the Paralympics record.

• [Junglemonkey]

  Is it just a trick of the camera, or is his existing calf bizarrely sharp and pointy looking?

• [Brainspore]

  Thanks for the clarification Pauldrye. I was starting to wonder if we had finally reached the point when athletes will be tempted to replace body parts with prosthetic ones for maximum performance. Still pretty cool, though!

• [Duffong]

  I just had a materials science-gasm.

• [Ocker3]

  JungleMonkey I think that’s because he’s turning a bit as he jumps, it looks like the lower-leg muscle on his right leg is whipping to the side a bit for some reason.

• [Kieran O’Neill]

  #12: Thanks, you beat me to it. Looks like pretty much the same prosthesis in both cases, too.

• [Count One]

  If you were hosting the Cyborg Olympics, what criteria would you use to make it interesting?

  You could maybe say that the contestant and his equipment would have to fit into a slightly larger than human case, and their power supply should consist of stored energy of no more than say x man hours.

  That way a rocket pack and a giant spring might be on an equal footing.

• [RedMonkey]

  I, for one, welcome our cyborg overlords.

• [AirPillo]

  I’ve long wondered whether a really cutting edge leg prosthetic gives someone an advantage over another athlete, in terms of endurance.

  While I know there is still plenty of exertion running even if you had two prosthetics… not having to supply blood and oxygen to all those hard-worked leg muscles would seem to give someone the potential for greater stamina.

  That’s a question that’s sat at the back of my mind for years (of course waiting for me to be drunk or see something related to leap to the front of my mind and puzzle me again!)

• [MrsBug]

  Resistance is futile. (C’mon…someone had to say it!)

• [spazzm]

  #16 Angryhippo, just apply cold water beforehand.

  I wonder if replacing some of the heavier bones in the human body would give enough of an advantage?
  Carbon fibre is a lot stronger than bone, weight for weight. I guess the major problem would be immune system rejection. Would the weight saving be enough to make up for the detrimental effects of surgery?
  Would it show up on an x-ray?

• [Count One]

  Presumably there is a rule that you can’t use any device that would enhance the athlete beyond what a non-disabled clone could achieve.

  Otherwise someone would turn up with a Saturn V rocket strapped to each leg.

  Perhaps that’s why the ancient Greeks competed naked. A pair of shorts either provides a competitive advantage or a disadvantage. If they provide an advantage then ban them (or equip everyone with identical shorts). If they provide a disadvantage then what’s the point.

• [kaosmonkey]

  @7

  I don’t know about endurance, but it certainly seems to help his boinginess (boingosity?)

• [toxonix]

  Carbon fiber reinforced plastic? That’s not all that cutting edge anymore. There’s still a long way to go with carbon fiber though.

• [JonKimmel]

  This brings to light the dilemma of not just performance-enhancing substances, but of performance-enhancing surgeries. There will surely be attempts, if there haven’t already, of ‘athletes’ using voluntary body modifications to improve their abilities.

  Obviously, I am not claiming this is a case of that…simply that this story reminds me of that.

  • [Antinous]

    performance-enhancing surgeries

    I fully expect to see Beverly Hills housewives getting elastic surgery so that they can stretch more impressively in yoga class.