Lesson 10-11: Prosthetics, Bionics, and Biomimicry

Suggested Time: 120-180 minutes
Overview
Students will learn about the relationship between bionics (the study of natural processes and movements for the purpose of engineering and medical applications) and the development of prosthetics for treatment of missing limbs and organs.
Vocabulary
Objectives
Required Project Materials
Multimedia Resources
Optional Multimedia Resources
Before the Lesson/ Background Information
The Lesson
Part 1: Experiencing Disability (15 mins)
  1. Separate the class into three groups. Circulate the chapters from Owning It : one chapter per group. If the chapters are long, allow individuals to take different sections for more efficient reading.
  2. Each group will discuss their chapter and write down a summary.
  3. Each group will share their summary with the class.
  4. Discuss the chapters in class. What would it be like to live with this disability? What kinds of prosthetics are available that may help a person to live differently? What are some reasons some people may not want to adjust or improve an “impairment” (e.g., feeling a sense of community or heightened abilities in other areas).
  5. If appropriate, lead an activity where students explore what it’s like to have a particular disability. (For example, have students put on blindfolds and attempt to walk down the hallway or to the bathroom without vision.)
  6. If you have any disabled students, do NOT single them out or ask them to represent the experience to their classmates unless they feel comfortable volunteering the information. Instead, you may ask the entire class if they have any stories to share regarding disabilities — something they’ve experienced themselves or something involving a family member, for example.
Part 2: Prosthetic Limbs (45 mins)
  1. Show the “Sea Turtle” video(s) and “The Bionic Man” short film.
  2. Discuss the material that was used to make the sea turtle flipper (polyurethane). What are the properties of the material that made it an ideal choice? What did scientists have to observe in order to make an adequate prosthetic flipper? How did they test it? Allow the students to look for more information on this subject on their own, if they wish.
  3. Read and discuss the New York Times article about the bionic man who controls his prosthetics with thought. There are many of these kinds of prosthetics under development. What kinds of engineering are involved in making a product like this? What other fields of study are involved? How does this connect with the field of robotics?
  4. Read the “Trouble Walking?” article with the class. Note that the robotic legs are described as an exoskeleton. What is an exoskeleton? How did scientists find out about exoskeletons? Here, make a connection with observations of physical structures in nature, as well as their traits, functions, and even aesthetics.
  5. Brainstorm with the class about different animals they know. What physical traits and behaviors would be useful in application to engineering and medicine?
  6. Separate the students into two teams: hands and feet. If you have a large class, try four teams and add elbows/arms and knees/legs. Using clay, each team will build an anatomical model of their body part. They will research current prosthetics available for that part. At the end of class, have each team spend about two minutes showing what they learned and discussing how prosthetics attempt to replicate the function of the particular part.
Part 3: Robot Builds (60-120 mins)
  1. Allow a few minutes for discussion of devices that can be mind-controlled. How is this accomplished? Relate to neural engineering and neuroscience.
  2. Allow students to play the mind-controlled devices. If you have students interested in or advanced in software development and programming, consider purchasing EPOC Emotiv or similar.
  3. Using the National Geographic kit, students will build remote-control machines.
  4. Relate this activity to the mind-controlled machines and relationship between neuroscience and prosthetics.
Homework:
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