It’s Monday, the beginning of a new week, and you need words of motivation to start your week off right.
This week’s words of motivation: Get Back ON Your Feet and Dance Again!
In this TED talk video we do not only see the future of bionic limbs and robotic prosthetics, but the beauty of the human spirit; and how it can triumph over all obstacles.
Hugh Herr, head of the MIT Media Lab Biomechatronics, lost both his legs in an ice climbing accident. But instead of allowing his disability to control his future, he built his own–using innovation as a new approach to prosthetic engineering. Today it serves as the bridge between the impossible and the possible–driven by nature and human ingenuity.
In his TED talk, he shows us first-hand how his bionic limbs function (fusing biomechanics with microprocessors) while sharing personal stories of those who were transformed by his invention. More so, he emphasizes the power of the human spirit. And what better example to prove his point than showing off the beautiful Adrianne Haslet-Davis.
Adrianne Haslet-Davis is a remarkable woman–a woman who breathes and lives dance. However, when she lost her left leg in the Boston Marathon terrorist attack, she was temporarily crippled to dance again. But like Hugh Herr, she refused to accept failure–promising herself that she would return to the dance floor regardless of her disability. And so with the help of Hugh, his media lab team, and her human spirit, she got back on her feet and danced again for the first time on-live television. It is this type of teamwork that makes “dreamwork.”
Every person should have the right to live life without disability if they so choose–the right to live life without severe depression; the right to see a loved one in the case of seeing impaired; or the right to walk or to dance…As a society, we can achieve these human rights if we accept the proposition that humans are not disabled. A person can never be broken.” –Hugh Herr
“Tomorrow (April 15th) will mark the One Year Anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing Attack and I want to say thank you (to Hugh and Adrianne) for reminding the world the power of unity and the beauty of the human spirit–and how both of them will never cower against the face of terrorism or acts of violence.Thank you so much for sharing this remarkable story and I wish you two the best success!” –Prince
To follow Hugh and his TED talks go to www.ted.com/speakers/hugh_herr
To learn more about Hugh and his biomechatronics research group go to: www.biom.com/
To contact Hugh go to: www.media.mit.edu/people/hherr
To follow the beautiful dancer Adrianne Haslett-Davis go to Twitter @adriannehaslet and www.adriannehaslet-davis.com
