Falcor64
Posts: 51
Joined: 11/24/2004 Status: offline
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Indeed. Understanding the dynamics of balance could lead to all sorts of stuff, including better prostheses for those who've lost legs, or better therapy for people with movement disorders, or even better-functioning robots. Balance is tremendously complex- look at Esther Thelen's research, for example. A lot of basic science research may seem trivial but in context is not. For example, Dr Thelen put 8-month-olds (upright) in shallow pools of water, which might seem strange, but her work (and others) changed the way that scientists look at motor development! Ultimately that understanding may well make for better therapies for rehabilitation, and it does help people better work with children. Regards, Falcor quote:
ORIGINAL: AquaticSub quote:
ORIGINAL: Kirata PHYSICS PRIZE: Katherine K. Whitcome of the University of Cincinnati, USA, Daniel E. Lieberman of Harvard University, USA, and Liza J. Shapiro of the University of Texas, USA, for analytically determining why pregnant women don't tip over. While this may sound trivial, I suspect the studies were to gain more information on how humans maintain their balence. Which, as it adds to our understanding of our bodies, could prove useful.
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