New England Orthotics and Prosthetics Services

New England Orthotics and Prosthetic Systems ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE AREA TO OFFER OSSUR’S PROPRIO FOOT ™ World’s first prosthesis to get this close to natural, human functioning

New England Orthotic and Prosthetic Systems is pleased to announce that it is one of the first prosthetic and orthototic facilities in the area to have a patient walking on a PROPRIO FOOT™ by Ossur. With the introduction of this remarkable prosthesis, NEOPS is now offering the most advanced prosthetic technology available in the world. This new era is one in which artificial limbs take one giant step closer to replicating the natural functioning of the lost limb. While the foot is new to the public, the Department of Defense and the VA have already been using it to benefit servicemen returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, as well as veterans of past wars.

As seen on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric and in the The New York Times, the PROPRIO FOOT is the newest in Ossur’s family of Bionic Technology products.

Ossur, a global leader in advanced prosthetics, utilizes artificial intelligence and cutting-edge sensor technology, to offer unmatched benefits for transtibial amputees. The PROPRIO FOOT was given its name for its ability to detect where the foot is in space – proprioception – thus enabling it to identify slopes and stairs after the first step, and then instructing the ankle to flex appropriately. Users place their foot on a step when climbing or descending stairs and it automatically adapts its ankle position to enable the next step. This active ankle motion also allows wearers to more easily sit down or rise from a chair.

The foot’s anatomically correct response creates a more symmetrical and balanced gait, reducing the need both to “hip hike” and to load the entire body weight on the sound limb. “This reduces the energy that patients spend in reacting consciously to the environment,” said Ian Fothergill , Ossur’s clinical bionic expert and prosthetist. “And it gives them more confidence and puts less strain on the sound limb and the hips, back and knees.”

Despite its advanced technology, the PROPRIO FOOT is user-friendly and is easy to set up and operate. During a simple calibration process, in 15 steps, the device evaluates and memorizes an individual’s unique gait pattern. Plus, heel height can be easily adjusted at any time without compromising alignment.

Technology in Action Importantly, the PROPRIO FOOT replaces muscle function that was lost with the amputation. The foot enables amputees to perform activites in a normal and functional pattern by:

· Sensing. Knowing where their foot is in space is a huge safety issue for amputees. Sophisticated sensor technology mimics the body’s own neural receptors that are sensitive to mechanical change, providing artificial proprioception (that sense of where the limb is in space). Hence the name PROPRIO FOOT.
· Thinking. Patent-pending artificial intelligence (AI) processes information from the sensors and activates the most appropriate response for the next step.
· Acting. The AI transmits a constant stream of signals which instruct high-precision actuator technology to act and deliver optimal function.

Developed by Ossur’s forward-thinking R&D department, the foot’s motion analysis capabilities are facilitated by real-time sensor technology from Dynastream Innovations of Canada, which enables the PROPRIO FOOT to detect and adapt to changes making for easier locomotion and an improved quality of life for the user. NEOPS Middlebury Care Center was among the first in the country to undergo training and obtain certification from Ossur- its developer in order to fit patients For more information about the PROPRIO FOOT, please call 1-888-551-8588, or visit the Bionic Technology by Ossur website www.ossur.com/bionics .