A prosthetic ankle model
Model of a metal ankle-hindfoot prosthesis developed by the UCLA Anatomical Engineering Group. Photo: Faranak Emami/UCLA Samueli School of Engineering

The ‘bionic possibilities’ of prosthetic advances

To bridge body and machine, medicine and engineering come together at UCLA
Doctors looking at prosthetics
Dr. Clites (right) and PhD student Ophelie Herve with the KUKA robot used to test new devices being developed by the Anatomical Engineering Lab. (Photo by Milo Mitchell)
Man sits with robot arm
Dr. Clites with the KUKA robot used to test new devices being developed by the Anatomical Engineering Lab. (Photo by Milo Mitchell)
Implanted magnetic attachment prosthetic
Computer renderings of an implanted magnetic attachment prosthetic device being developed by Dr. Tyler Clites and his Anatomical Engineering Group in the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering in collaboration with Dr. Nicholas M. Bernthal, chair and executive medical director of orthopaedic surgery. (Courtesy of Will Flanagan, Anatomical Engineering Group)
Dr. Nelson F. SooHoo
Dr. Nelson F. SooHoo, a specialist in foot and ankle surgery, is collaborating with Dr. Clites on a prosthetic device to replace a critical bone in the ankle to preserve the limb. (Photo by Milo Mitchell)
Amin Khatibi, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, works with Dr. Clites on the design of an advanced prosthetic device.
Amin Khatibi, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, works with Dr. Clites on the design of an advanced prosthetic device. (Photo by Milo Mitchell)