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Bionic Knee Braces ..... For NDHQ

Kirkhill

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Other armies might think of issuing them to Light Infantry, or even jumpers.....

But we think outside of the box.

Quote and link removed by Loachman
 
Thanks Sheep Dog.

I missed the byline.

Cheers.
 
Interesting that we envision substantially increasing the weight soldiers carry through the addition of a "robo" knee brace.

The most common musculoskeletal problem area for soldiers is lower back.  Maybe that needs robo-strengthening before the leg muscles.
 
MCG said:
Interesting that we envision substantially increasing the weight soldiers carry through the addition of a "robo" knee brace.

The most common musculoskeletal problem area for soldiers is lower back.  Maybe that needs robo-strengthening before the leg muscles.

Or just train people our to 'need less'.

Why do all our dismounted operational loading plans have to centre around the giant sleeping bag?

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR700/RR770/RAND_RR770.pdf
 
"I used to have to carry a hundred pounds of very heavy shit. Now, thanks to improved modern technology, I get to carry a hundred pounds of really light shit."
 
So you get bionic knees to help carry more weight, which destroys your back quicker. Great work, CAF. Always leading change in the wrong direction.
 
I never truly realized how strenuous life is in the Puzzle Palace until now...  ::)
 
LunchMeat said:
I never truly realized how strenuous life is in the Puzzle Palace until now...  ::)
The sedentary lifestyle is murder on the waistline.  :nod:
 
PuckChaser said:
So you get bionic knees to help carry more weight, which destroys your back quicker. Great work, CAF. Always leading change in the wrong direction.

Wouldn't bionic 'knee pads' be more useful at NDHQ? :)
 
Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!    :cheers:
 
daftandbarmy said:
Wouldn't bionic 'knee pads' be more useful at NDHQ? :)

I was thinking more along the lines of bionic knees and hips due to the geriatric population that inhabits the place...they wouldn't want to give bionic backs for obvious reasons ;D

MM
 
medicineman said:
I was thinking more along the lines of bionic knees and hips due to the geriatric population that inhabits the place...they wouldn't want to give bionic backs for obvious reasons ;D

MM
At least bionic backs would replace the spines they lost years ago.
 
so we can afford to drop 5000 per brace but getting updated systems and equipment. It is like having a tooth pulled by a vehicle tech or plumber. Yes it will help, but there is other bigger things that need attention right now
 
Maybe they'll come with a decently-fitting boot that does not fall apart for that price.
 
Loachman said:
Maybe they'll come with a decently-fitting boot that does not fall apart for that price.

Or just a boot brace to hold the boot together.
 
marinemech said:
so we can afford to drop 5000 per brace but getting updated systems and equipment. It is like having a tooth pulled by a vehicle tech or plumber. Yes it will help, but there is other bigger things that need attention right now

I'm going to say this as nicely as I can - this is a ridiculous idea.  Don't overload the troops and you won't have the shoulder, back, hip, knee and ankle issues we have now.
Just because "they" gave us a bigger rucksack doesn't mean we can carry any more weight. 

Half wits, dunces and village idiots.  :facepalm:
 
And to offset the removed link, here's some more info:
The Canadian Army is taking a leap into the future.

Over the next two weeks, soldiers in Ottawa will be strapping on and testing bionic knee braces built in Halifax that will make them more effective on the battlefield.

While on the ground Canadian troops often carry very heavy equipment and these special braces, built by Spring Loaded Technology are powerful enough to help a soldier lift more than 100 lbs of body weight when worn on both knees.

"In the Canadian Army, we have a similar challenge as most other modern armies in the world, in that with the advancement of technology, we're asking individual soldiers who are on foot to carry a lot more weight then their grandfathers have in World War II or World War I," said Maj. Eddie Jun, who is helping put the braces through rigorous testing.

While work is being done to develop lighter equipment, there's only so much that can be done on that front.

"I know scientists are working really hard, but we're looking at the next 25 to 30 years before a huge impact is made," said Jun. "We're going to tackle the problem from the other direction in that, okay, well we can't reduce the weight of soldier burden significantly in the short term. Is there a way where we could assist the soldiers by giving them an external support mechanism that they can use?"

Enter the military-grade UpShot, weighing under two pounds per brace.

"It's designed to restore energy and actually make the individual stronger and more resistant to fatigue," said Chris Cowper-Smith, the CEO of Spring Loaded Technology.

The brace uses a liquid spring technology that absorbs shock and reduces impact on soldiers' knees.

Jun tested out a brace on one knee, while hoisting his three-year-old son Danny on his shoulders.

"I spent 16 years in the infantry and my knees are not the best shape," he said. "My wife jokes that I have the knees of a 60-year-old. On my unsupported knee I feel some strain, but on the supported knee it's almost like just going for a walk."

A number of soldiers have signed up to test out the brace, including Col. Julien Richard, who has had two major surgeries on his right knee.

"I'm doing very well right now, but want to invest in the future," he said. "Maybe I'll have other issues to that knee as I age, so I just want to try this and see if this would procure additional support to help me out in the long run."

He said the braces, which cost about $10,000, could be a great investment for the Canadian Armed Forces.

"I mean, we save across the board, so if our soldiers, if we can help them to better support the knee and ankle and whatnot, then they can provide more," said Richard. "Less physio, less medical appointments, less medication and then extend the life of the soldier on the battlefield and then less time in administration recovery, so more people on the armoury floor as we say, is better for the organization."

And then maybe, a better quality of life upon retirement ...
BTW, this idea seems to have been in the works for at least a few months - this, from March ...
A pair of Nova Scotia researchers are close to producing a “bionic” knee brace that enhances ability and reduces fatigue, and have now landed a lucrative contract to produce a beefed-up version for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Full production is expected to start this summer on the Levitation brace, which stores energy when you bend your knees and releases it as you straighten.

“It packs the power of a robotic exoskeleton, but it’s roughly one-hundredth the cost,” said Chris Cowper-Smith, the 31-year-old CEO and co-founder of Spring Loaded Technology, makers of the two-pound brace.

Spring Loaded said this week it has secured $1.9 million in venture capital, as well as a military contract worth $1 million to produce a reinforced version of the consumer-grade brace at its Dartmouth plant.

The military brace will have reinforced rods to make it stronger and a knee-pad that will complement the military’s tactical gear ...
 
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