Bionic ankle unveiled at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

CLEVELAND - Gary Ptak and Craig Shook came to the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center for a “tune-up,” so to speak.  They’re fine, it’s their new bionic ankles that need some adjusting.

The Vietnam veterans are two of only four veterans in the state of Ohio who are using this new Biom technology.  Instead of a leg that just props them up, this new motorized system takes the place of their missing leg and ankle muscles.

Bill Jones, supervisor prosthetist, said the system is a big improvement over what's been available.

"This new technology has microprocessors in them, sensors and a battery pack that actually provides power as they’re walking so it’s mimicking their calf muscle," Jones said

Ptak has had his bionic ankle for less than a month and already feels the difference.

"It kind of lifts you a little bit and it makes it so much comfortable to walk. I don’t mind walking now because it’s like I still had my left leg," Ptak said.

Shook lost his right leg in 1995 to bone cancer. After a few mechanical adjustments, he is walking almost as good as he ever did.

Brian Frasure, who works for iWalk, the company that developed the Biom, wants to tweak the motor a bit, and there's even an app for that.  The electronics in the ankle can be fine tuned to the height and weight of the user by way of smart phone.  Frasure does more than just stand behind the product, as an amputee, he stands on it.

"Within the first five steps of walking on this product, I knew they had something… I was so impressed by the technology that I decided to go and work for the company," Frasure said.

Frasure, who lost his left foot at the age of 19, went on to become a ParaOlympic Champion and holds world records in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.