Chapter 1 Bionics is the science of combining machines with living things Bionic devices can help a deaf person hear They can give a blind person sight They help injured soldiers walk again Artificial hearts and kidneys can keep patients alive Researchers have made major advances in bionic legs Besides walking what else can bionic devices help people
People with bionic parts have appeared in science fiction for years But modern science has brought bionics into real life People are living better lives thanks to bionic devices Scientists and engineers have developed many different kinds of bionic
The history of bionics goes back many centuries Early examples replaced missing body parts They are called prostheses Archaeologists found a wooden toe on an Egyptian mummy It was about 3 000 years old The toe may have helped the person walk People built metal hands in the 1500s The hands let injured soldiers hold swords They worked using springs and clamps THE EGYPTIAN MUMMY S PROSTHETIC TOE IS NOW LOCATED AT THE CAIRO MUSEUM IN
UT NOT Tiliti SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD III WIT IT Tiiiiiii WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD With today's specialized prosthetic legs users can run at high speeds These early prostheses were heavy They were difficult to use Today s prostheses are much lighter Plastics replaced wood and metal Computers make the devices smaller and smarter They are easier to control
