Now This Is Mobile Technology! part15

Posted by: Peter on May 18 2008 - 218 views

I’m always up for a discussion about the definition of mobile technology, and I don’t restrict that definition to electronic gadgets and accessories for those gadgets. So a story that I’ve been following, that includes some incredible mobility technology has had a happy ending and I thought I’d share it here.

Imagine, if you will, a person with no legs being competitive at the Olympic level, you’d think that would take some incredible technology. Well it does, it also takes some incredible personal fortitude as well.

South African double amputee Oscar Pistorious, otherwise known as the “Blade Runner” has won his battle to participate against able bodied athletes in Olympic qualifiers. Despite the fact that many think his prosthetics give him an unfair advantage, including the IAAF who amended it’s rules to disallow

“any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device”

Well, Oscar fought, and the IAAF has reversed their decision topping off their statement with

“The IAAF accepts the decision of CAS and Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer.  He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future.”

Obviously those are some high tech mobility aids, that enable Oscar to be far more mobile than me. These prosthetics manufactured by a company called Ossur, are referred to as bionic, and it’s well worth looking at their site.

Check out this article in the New York Times that has some pretty interesting interactive stuff to give you an idea of what the ban was all about. There’s also a great video of Oscar on the move.

Now Oscar still has to qualify for the South African Olympic team, with a time of 45.55 seconds, which isn’t a slouch’s time for that distance. Isn’t this though, a prime example of mobile technology?

Via New York Times

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