Engineering student turns adversity into career opportunity

Currently a 2^nd year aerospace engineering student at Kingston University, the 29 year old from West London took time out to give Student Engineer a candid insight into prosthetic limb development and his aims as an engineer.

How old were you when you when the hit-and-run accident happened?

I was 22 years old. I was out walking a friend’s dog in 2010 when the accident happened – about nine months before I was due to start at university.

Can you describe your difficulties with prosthetic limbs prior to getting involved with Linx?

Standing still is a challenge for lower limb prosthetic wearers: we have to use a lot of energy and concentration just to hold the leg steady. Before the Linx, all the limbs I used had been mechanical, not mechatronic, which combine electronic and mechanical systems. A common problem was that if I didn’t stand exactly right, the knee ‘jack-knifed’ and I fell over a lot. It’s a trust issue really – when a mechanical cylinder fails you it knocks that trust you have in the limb. The Linx has a central computer which acts a bit like the human brain, via software called Mi² (Motion integrated intelligence) to help the knee and ankle work together. The Linx means I can walk confidently, knowing that the limb will be at the right speed and support level for me at all times.