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Using Cockroach Legs For Prosthetics Research

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Lego figures prepare to battle with cockroach legs. (Screenshot)
Lego figures prepare to battle with cockroach legs. (Screenshot)

All big ideas start somewhere. With that in mind, undergraduate engineers at the University of Pennsylvania are starting with cockroaches.

They’re experimenting with different ways to control the insect’s legs after they’ve been amputated. Think voice commands and brain waves.

It’s the type of technology shaping the next generation of human prostheses, and the assignment gives students the chance to channel their inner Dr. Frankenstein.

Todd Bookman from The Pulse at Here & Now contributor station WHYY reports.

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This segment aired on June 10, 2015.

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