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Dating back to the times of the Egyptians, aftificial limbs made of common matterials such as wood and metal have been used by almost every civilization.
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In 1529, French surgeon, Ambroise Pare (1510-1590) introduced amputation as a lifesaving measure in medicine. Soon after, Pare started developing prosthetic limbs in a scientific manner.
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In 1863, Dubois L Parmelee of New York City made an improvement to the attachment of artificial limbs. He fastened a body socket to the limb with atmospheric pressure.
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In 1898, Dr. Vanghetti invented an artificial limb that could move with through muscle contraction.
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In 1946, a major advancement was made in the attachment of lower limbs. A suction sock for the above-knee prosthesis was created at University of California (UC) at Berkeley.
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In 1975, Ysidro M. Martinez' invention of a below-the-knee prosthesis avoided some of the problems associated with conventional artificial limbs.
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Modern day artificial limbs are often made from high tech plastics and carbon fiber. A change from the use of wood and metal throughout history. These limbs are much more life like and can even perform life like movements with the use of muscle contractions.
