In 1989, the government decreed that S.P.Korolev
RSC Energia develop advanced prosthetic appliances for
people with locomotor system dysfunction. This work became
one of the major areas of the company's conversion efforts.
Drawing upon a high scientific and technological
potential of prosthetic research institutions of Moscow
and St.-Petersburg, using new materials and processes,
with support from the Russian Federation Ministries of
Economics and Labor, over a 10-year period RSC Energia
has managed to set up production of a wide range of advanced
modules, assembly units and components for prosthetic
appliances.
A whole system of new prosthetic and orthopedic
products based on modular principle was developed. Out
of these standard modules, a prosthetics specialist can
custom-build virtually any prosthesis for any specific
patient.
First off-the-shelf modules for prosthesis
of lower extremities were produced as early as 1990.
One of the lines of RSC Energia's activities in this area
is development of new materials for prosthetic and orthopedic
products, first of all for the sockets of the prostheses,
as well as specialized processing equipment and tools for
prosthetic and orthopedic enterprises and shops.
In 1994, RSC Energia has built and handed over for trial
operation seven mobile prosthetic and orthopedic shops based
on PAZ-3205 bus.
Marketing of prosthetic and orthopedic products and materials
needed for prosthetics is handled by RSC Energia's subsidiary
Orthopedic Industry Moscow
Energia (OIME) established in 1992. OIME has an assembly
line at the prosthetic and orthopedic appliances manufacturing
facility, and coordinates training and re-training of prosthetics
specialists with participation of specialists from abroad.
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