Monday 26 December 2016

Legs 11+


There is an interesting account of the development of bionic exoskeleton 'legs' to aid walking in people with mobility problems as a result of ageing or spinal/ muscle damage (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/25/bionic-legs-and-smart-slacks-exoskeletons-that-could-enhance-us-all). I don't think it is generally appreciated that life in a wheel chair can damage one's health by increasing body weight along with the incidence of type 2 diabetes as well as being associated with pressure sores et cetera. Being able to assume an upright posture also appears to have mental benefits. Having said all that, I think it unlikely that more than a small percentage of needy folk are likely to benefit from these developments. You have to be relatively well-off to afford the technology and the devices appear currently dependent on a relatively benign environment.

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Some of My Favourite Pictures of Lepidopteran Larvae

Caterpillars of moths and butterflies from the UK and India