Linx Scoops ‘Best Overall Winner’ at Medical Design Excellence Awards

Blatchford has been named best overall winner of the 2017 Medical Design Excellence Awards for its Linx system, the first fully integrated, microprocessor-controlled lower limb system to help above-knee amputees live more active and independent lives.

In a ceremony at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on 13th June, Blatchford’s Linx system was awarded the Gold Medal Award in Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Products category, and the Best in Show Award.

The Medical Design Excellence Awards is the premier awards programme for the medtech industry. Since its inception in 1998, it has recognised significant achievements in medical product design and engineering that improve the quality of healthcare delivery and accessibility.

Blatchford was selected from 45 exceptional finalists in nine medical technology product categories by a judging panel of leading clinicians, engineers, and designers. Awards were made based on five criteria: Design and Engineering Innovations, Functional (User-Related) Innovations, Benefits to Overall Healthcare, Benefits to Patients and Market Differentiation.

The Blatchford Group has been designing and manufacturing cutting edge prosthetics since the 19^th century. It’s Linx system combines four microprocessors and seven situational awareness sensors across the knee and ankle to continuously collect data on the user, activity and terrain.  This data is used to continuously adjust the limb’s resistance and speed for ease of use, safety and stability, mimicking a human limb. This means the wearer can walk confidently, knowing that the limb will be at the right speed and support level at all times. The Linx ankle talks to the knee at a rate of 400 messages per second; in the course of a single day, the prosthetic limb will adjust over 2000 times to adapt to its environment.

Adrian Stenson, CEO of Blatchford said: “Winning the Medical Design Excellence Award is a wonderful achievement and huge recognition for the Endolite team in the US and the Blatchford team in the UK. We are honoured to have received this recognition, both as the winner of the rehabilitation category, and the overall winner.

At Blatchford, we are constantly striving to provide innovative prosthetic technology to help improve the day-to-day lives of patients that are faced with limb loss. The Linx system is the only lower extremity prosthetic device that allows both the knee and foot to communicate with each other in both directions. The ability to achieve this is what sets this device apart from others and allows the patient to have a more normalised gait across all types of terrain.  It truly is a winning combination for an above-knee amputee to have a foot and knee that communicate with one another.”

For more information on the Linx system, visit: https://www.blatchford.co.uk/endolite/linx/

To learn more about the Medical Design Excellence Awards, visit: http://mdeawards.mddionline.com