DeathscytheX 9,732 Report post Posted June 25, 2010 http://kotaku.com/5572324/bionic-cat-walks-on-metal-feet Vcy78rnDKiQ After losing his back feet to a combine harvester, Oscar the cat thought he would never walk again, but we can rebuild him. We have the technology. Noel Fitzpatrick, a veterinary surgeon based in Surrey, England, is the subject of a BBC documentary titled The Bionic Vet, and for good reason. Working in tandem with a team from University College London led by Professor Gordon Blunn, Fitzpatrick may have revolutionized the field of prosthetics by implanting metal pegs into the leg bones of a black cat. What's so special about implanting metal pegs? Nothing at all, if you're expecting infection and eventual rejection. Bone and skin generally don't mesh well with metal. But these metal pegs, called intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthetics, or Itaps, actually have the bone and skin growing into them. Says Fitzpatrick: "We have managed to get the bone and skin to grow into the implant and we have developed an 'exoprosthesis' that allows this implant to work as a see-saw on the bottom of an animal's limbs to give him effectively normal gait." The pegs were bioengineered to mimic the way deer antler bones grow through skin. While the technology has already been tested on humans, with a female victim of the 2005 London bombings receiving a prosthetic arm, the fact that Oscar the cat has two successful implants is astounding. But not as astounding as the fact that he can actually walk on them moments after having his new feet connected. For Now The Bionic Cat Just Walks, But Could Laser Feet Be That Far Off? It's moments like this that make me proud to be writing science posts, even on my day off. And for those of you who don't care for adorable cat stories, ponder this question: What else could we attach to those pegs? Guns? Lasers? Portal springs? It's like having a living cat action figure with interchangeable parts. The possibilities are diabolically endless! 4 Ladywriter, Dubird, Sledgstone and 1 other reacted to this GET A NEW FUNK ON BEFORE YOU GET DUMPED ON! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted June 25, 2010 squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I gotta show this to my Ditto tripod kitty Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eppy 3,446 Report post Posted June 25, 2010 ....Ditto with a bionic leg?....oh the HORROR "That fairy needs to stop shouting in my ear, or I'm going to throw her friend I have trapped in the bottle into a lava pit or something. HEY, LISTEN! No, YOU listen. If something's important, just say so without yelling at me. Or fly over to it and change color like you usually do. Just because I'm busy mowing the lawn and hoping I'll find some spare change, doesn't mean I can't hear you." - Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted June 25, 2010 u think he cuts joo bad now.... lol Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sledgstone 8,672 Report post Posted June 25, 2010 omg that video was great! Imagine ditto with a switchblade addon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dubird 6,815 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 dawww! he's all like "screw you, i can walk now, i'm going to go where i want to!" Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CabbitGirl 4,018 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 awwww yay! glad he could give his kitty some new feet! ^-^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeathscytheX 9,732 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 There are so many new applications for this. Finally they can make knee replacements that last forever, instead of 5-8 years. GET A NEW FUNK ON BEFORE YOU GET DUMPED ON! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pchan 5,162 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 Touching. I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
