Skip to main content

Translate

The Story of Hugh Herr : An American rock climber, engineer, and biophysicist



A prodigy rock climber, by age eight he had scaled the face of the 11,627-foot Mount Temple in the Canadian Rockies, and by 17 he was acknowledged to be one of the best climbers in the United States.

In January 1982, after having ascended a difficult technical ice route in Huntington Ravine on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, Herr and a fellow climber Jeff Batzer were caught in a blizzard and became disoriented, ultimately descending into the Great Gulf where they passed three nights in −29 °C degree temperatures. 

By the time they were rescued, the climbers had suffered severe frostbite. Both of Herr’s legs had to be amputated below the knees; his companion lost his lower left leg, the toes on his right foot, and the fingers on his right hand.


While a postdoctoral fellow at MIT in biomedical devices, he began working on advanced leg prostheses and orthoses, devices that emulate the functionality of the human leg.

Using specialized prostheses that he designed, he created prosthetic feet with high toe stiffness that made it possible to stand on small rock edges the width of a coin, and titanium-spiked feet that assisted him in ascending steep ice walls.

He used these prostheses to alter his height to avoid awkward body positions and to grab the hand and foot holds previously out of reach. His height could range from five to eight feet.

As a result of using the prostheses, Herr climbed at a more advanced level than he had before the accident, making him the first person with a major amputation to perform in a sport on par with elite-level, able-bodied persons.

Popular posts from this blog

Dhirubhai Ambani: A Real Rags-To-Riches Story

Who doesn't know the name Reliance today ? Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani , better known as Dhirubhai Ambani , is not an unheard name to an Indian. As the founder of India’s largest private firm and second largest publicly traded company in the country, Reliance Industries, Dhirubhai has undoubtedly made enormous capital in his lifetime. But did you know that he started his journey with only INR 1 and while he has created wealth, it not just for him but equally for his thousands of shareholders. Dhirubhai once said, “We cannot change our rulers, but we can change the way they rule us.”   He could do all this just because he could dream, and dream big. "If you’re born poor it’s not your fault but if you die poor it’s your fault." - Dhirubhai Ambani Ambani had a humble beginning and he was not from an affluent background. He moved to Yemen at 16 years of age where he worked as a simple clerk with A. Besse & Co. . However, he knew he had to follow his calling and

The Inspiring Story Of India's First Female Doctor

Anandi Gopal Joshi is the first woman of Indian origin to graduate with a degree in medicine in the US. She became an inspiration to generations of women to pursue their further education. Anandi Gopal Joshi, who also goes by the names 'Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi' and 'Anandibai Joshi',was born in Kalyan in present day Maharashtra's Thane district on March 31, 1865. Anandi Joshi was originally named 'Yamuna', and kept that name till her marriage, after which, her husband - Gopalrao Joshi - gave her the name 'Anandi'. As was custom during the mid-nineteenth century, Yamuna (Anandi) was pressured to marry at a very young age - nine. She married Gopalrao Joshi, a widower who was nearly 30 years old at the time. He was a postal clerk in the same town where Yamuna (Anandi) used to live.Though he had married a child, a criminal offence in today's day and age but not considered so in the mid-nineteenth century, Gopalrao Joshi was a strong su

Must Read - Ideal Sleeping Directions as per Vastu

Sleep disorder bothering you? Vastu can help you to eliminate your sleep disorders. Follow these simple vastu tips and say bye bye to sleep related problems. But before we begin learning the best directions to sleep as per vastu shastra, it’s important to understand the need for cozy sleep. Sounds good? Read on! Why Sleep is Important? Sound, comfortable and timely sleep, apart from food, water and shelter, is one of the most essential thing which we all need daily. On an average, a human spends one-third of his life sleeping. Yes! That’s true, we doze a third of our life. Researches in medical science reveal that during sleep, the subconscious performs repair work on our body. Now you know why doctors give medicines and advise to sleep properly whenever we are ill. A sleep deprived person becomes unhealthy in short period of time; his brain looses understanding and analyzing power quickly. With his analyzing power going downhill, the person takes wrong decisions.