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Ali Khaheshi
Taking inspiration from some of the unique attributes of dragonfly wings, scientists at Germany’s Kiel University have developed a new type of splint for injured joints that offers support in all the right places. The device can withstand loads many times its own weight without restricting bodily movement, hitting what its creators see as a sweet spot for the support of injured joints.
The new medical device is designed for musculoskeletal injuries, which account for a large portion of sporting injuries and result from sprains, strains or overloading of the joints. In the eyes of the Kiel University team, conventional splints used for these types of injuries either restrict the user’s mobility or don’t provide the support the joint needs, and they believe they ve found a better solution inspired by nature.