Prosthesis technology has led to an improved quality of life for many amputees, including a woman fitted with a foot from Ottobock that has computer controls to aid foot and ankle movements. Other advances on the horizon include arm prostheses that provide sensation and sensory feedback, prosthetists say.

Roderick Sewell wants to be the first double amputee to complete the Ironman World Championship triathlon. Sewell was born without tibia bones in both legs and runs with the assistance of prosthetic blades.

A group of scientists at the University of Southern California have developed a virtual human hand that accurately depicts the structure and motion of the human hand. The science could be used to improve the development of prosthetic hands, the researchers say.

Researchers at Purdue University have created a glove equipped with multimodal sensors that provides prosthesis wearers with sensory perception. The glove is worn over a prosthetic hand and enables wearers to feel temperature, pressure and humidity, and researchers hope to expand its functions to include tactile and vibrational feedback.

Stanford University researchers have developed a design tool that can detect how a lower-limb prosthetic device will fit the user before the prosthesis is constructed. The robotic tool can sense the wearer's movement and make adjustments.