Prior to 3/5/2008 the newsclips are available in a PDF archive.
News Clips 01/18/2013
Veterans Administration awards FSU $4.4M
Source: Tallahassee Democrat, 01/17/13
View Original Article
By Doug Blackburn
Florida State University has been awarded a two-year, $4.4 million contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop the next generation of prosthetic limbs for military-veteran amputee patients.
FSU is leading a partnership that includes the Georgia Institute of Technology, Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates, Quantum Motion Medical and St. Petersburg College.
Led by Changchun “Chad” Zeng, an assistant engineering professor who is the principle investigator for the contract, the team aims to address the shortcomings of current prosthetic socket systems — the part where a patient’s limb connects to a prosthetic device — through the development, testing and delivery of “Socket Optimized for Comfort with Advanced Technology” prototypes.
They are being developed at FSU’s High Performance Materials Institute at Innovation Park.
“Despite the advances made in prosthetics over the years, the socket continues to be a major source of discomfort for our amputees due to issues arising from poor fit, elevated temperatures and moisture accumulation,” Zeng said in a release. “These adverse conditions effectively limit the basic activities of amputees and can greatly diminish their quality of life.
“This award gives us the opportunity to tackle those problems so our veteran amputees can live better, more fulfilling lives.”
