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The earliest-known prosthetic toe made from wood and leather was discovered in the 1800s attached to an Egyptian mummy.
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The oldest known prosthetic leg; the Capua leg, was crafted by Romans from bronze and iron with a wooden core.
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Peg legs and hand hooks were common for those who could afford to have them fitted. An increasing number of tradesmen crafted prosthetics during this time period.
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During the American Civil War, the U.S. started to see advancements in the field of prosthetics. The cosmetic rubber hand was introduced with fingers that could move and various attachments, such as brushes and hooks.
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M. von Frey and M. Gruber created and used the first heart-lung device. Their device included heating and cooling chambers, manometers and sampling outlets.
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The Artificial Limb Program was designed to improve the design of prosthetics, because the U.S. was trying to improve the life of soldiers living with amputations.
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Dr. J Gibbon Jr. performs the first cardiac surgery using a clinical heart and lung machine.
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Dr. Willem Kolff and his research team implant the first total artificial heart into a dog.
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Joseph Murray performs the first kidney transplant using an organ from a donor who has no relations with the recipient.
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Dr. Denton Cooley performs the first artificial heart transplant into a human.
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Synthetic sockets were custom fitted for each patient to provide an individualized, comfortable, and hygienic fit.
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Researchers at the university of Pittsburgh have been studying brain-computer interface technology. This technology allows an amputee to send brain signals to the artificial limb's computer, which moves the arm.
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A 39 year old man in Sweden was the first ever to get a fully synthetic trachea implant. He was suffering from cancer in his throat.
