Johns Hopkins has become a leader in developing fancy prosthetics, like the thought-controlled robotic arm. But this new prosthetic foot developed by a team of Hopkins students is a step above the rest (sorry).
This newly developed foot, which its creators have dubbed “Prominence,” is designed to be worn with high heels. The foot’s designers claim that high heels “have become an integral part of the female lifestyle in modern society” and female veterans and others who have had lower limb amputations suffer from having “that seemingly innocuous, but so pervasive, and decidedly feminine part of their lives” taken away.
While I’m not so sure that high heels are really an integral part of contemporary womanhood, I applaud the efforts to make prosthetics that are just a little more comfortable for women — something that’s particularly necessary, since the vast majority of prosthetic feet (and hands) on the market are sized for men.
The adjustable foot built by the Hopkins students is just a prototype, and there are more adjustments to be made before the device can be offered up to the public. But let’s hope that this at least marks a move toward designing more medical devices optimized for women.
