Artist and Engineer Prosthetic Collaborations Complicated by "Cosmetic"

Hi All,

My blog post is still under review by the administrator, so I will post now while that is pending. My post was in response to this article:
http://rhizome.org/editorial/2012/oct/4/inside-prosthetic-imaginary-interview-sara-hendren/

I am very pleased that these topics are all under the Abler umbrella. I find your assemblage and discussion very compelling. I do have some questions in regards to the potential collaborations of artists and prosthetic engineers in light of the practical limitations of contemporary prosthetic technologies and their purchase. Also because of the plight of amputee's access to prosthetic healthcare, I am concerned with the use of the metaphor "prosthetic". It is used often in artistic and academic frames in contexts that stretch the medical origin, perhaps to the extent that we think: "amputees wear prosthetics" as a given. In fact, many amputees don't because they do not have access to prosthetic technology. 

I ask because in the public eye there are often misconceptions about what a prosthesis can do and also about how many amputees there really are in the US. This means there is virtually no money in industry to fund this collaborative design work - the government is the funding lifeline.
http://www.utne.com/Science-Technology/Building-Better-Arm-An-amputee-helps-engineer.aspx

In cross-specialty conversations you've observed, has it been considered that the government's PR mechanism of enlisting the "possibility" of artist/prosthetist/engineer collaboration to steer focus away from DARPA's failure to include a new realistic covering for their prototype arms: Johns Hopkins consortium? They ran out of money and just used the current silicone glove technology available. It has many failings. 

There is a very big issue with technology's failure to create or even fund prosthetic skin. The silicone lifelike options that do exist have always been described in medical texts as "cosmetic" and having no function. 

Last year, Medicare pulled funding for custom "cosmetic" prosthetic coverings and complete cosmetic prostheses. Medicaid and many state children's services have followed suite. Children in California on state aid cannot get ear prostheses because they are considered "cosmetic". 

I understand that there are many different purposes for artistic production of prostheses, but one purpose I would like to offer up for further contemplation. Are the artists who desire to collaborate with prosthetic engineers aware that their designs will be considered cosmetic and not actually make it to their intended user? (unless through charitable pathways) 


I hope this generates some useful discussion. Thank you so much for establishing this forum and putting these groups in conversation.