The U.K. Pushes the Boundaries of Bionics: Researchers and Engineers Are Making Great Strides Toward Advanced Prosthetics' Ultimate Goal-Mimicking the Functionality of a Real Limb

Using state-of-the-art technology, athletes at the Paralympic Games achieve great feats of physical prowess, but for most people using assistive and rehabilitative technologies (ART), even simple tasks can present huge challenges. Many do not make full use of the technology available to them because it is unreliable, uncomfortable, and nonintuitive, so researchers are pushing the envelope to create practical solutions that function like real limbs.