MIT
Dan Levine
As we wrap up this Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness month I am also interviewing my final university student who has been working towards his PhD at MIT. Dan started his journey at Cornell with a degree in Mechanical engineering and Computer Science and is about to graduate from MIT with his doctorate in Media Arts and Sciences.
Dan had a fascinating beginning as he was able to spend some younger years in Thailand as his parents were working in the medical field. His excitement about nature and anything is possible to create if we just look, observe and study what is around us shows us that the brain is such an amazing muscle that can come up with the seemingly impossible, like making prosthetics more advanced and allow the amputee live a life as if nothing has changed for them. That is what the studies at the MIT Media Lab aim to accomplish.
He has had his hands on several projects in Assistive Technologies and as of late been working on advancing bionics in the ankle prothesis.
One very unique experiment he did was to create a video game based on movement technology for his non-sighted friend. Below is the board they actually used to accomplish this task.
This board was used to "translate" Mario Bros for his non-sighted friend
As I have stated each week this month, the field of mechanical, biomedical engineering and robotics is so very competitive around the nation and some discussions of these students' projects cannot be divulged until they finish their dissertations and get published, so we discuss what we can during these interviews. My hope, though, is to whet your appetite as to what is coming in the world of prosthetics/bionics and the study of the human body in order to aid the amputee community.
Dan's team of undergraduates enjoy team building time.
Another aspect of being at this level of his degree is bringing on undergraduates to add insight and diverse thinking to projects. As Dan worked with these students as a team they are able to all bring their specific talent to the projects and as Dan stated their level in school does not determine their level of expertise. Each team member is valued for what they bring to the table.
Dan has had the opportunity to explore, create and design a more robust and technologically advanced foot model to help be a more natural replacement of our natural foot, using the idea of biomechatronics, energy return, and studying our natural gait to help with his design.
Dan in the Media Lab working on specific parts of his design.
A very hands on project after the detailed research of measurements and calculations.
"Measure twice, cut once" is more his philosophy.
I am totally amazed and completely impressed by Dan's imagination, thoughts, and unique view of the world. It takes very special people to be in this space, creating the next great technological advancement in the engineering world and because of people, like Dan, our amputee community will be seeing some incredible advancements to our devices and thus our ability to live the best, most full life, as if we were not missing anything.
This is truly something to be celebrated!
Thank you, Dan, for spending your time with me diving into the world you have been in these past 6+ years. The devotion, the exhaustion, the hard work and at times, I'm sure, the frustration of getting things completed the way you envisioned them and the successes you have accomplished I thank you! Our community thanks you, for bringing us one step closer to higher potential (pun intended!).
And for all of the university students out there trying to make our world a better place, we see you and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
I look forward to what the future holds for myself and other amputees. A world where nothing inhibits us from achieving all of our hopes, dreams, and goals.
I hope you have all enjoyed hearing about the technology and ...