5 Superhero Technologies that Medtech is Bringing to Life Today

The weather's getting warmer. Summer movie season is just around the corner. And that means one thing: Superheroes! We all like to imagine ourselves being able to do incredible things. But before you get too lost in the science fiction, let's take a look at some superhero technologies that medical science is bringing closer to us each day.

Iron Man's Arc Reactor

What do you get Tony Stark, the man who has everything? Well, an ill-fated trip to Afghanistan earned him a chest full of unremovable shrapnel. Enter the arc reactor, an artificial heart designed to electromagnetically keep the shrapnel from piercing his heart while also doubling as a fusion-level energy source that powers all of Stark's armored suits and gadgets.

  The Reality- Most scientists, including Neil DeGrasse Tyson, agree that we're a long way away from being able to safely put a fusion reactor in our chests. 
On the upside, the artificial heart itself is very much on the scene today. The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart is the only device of its kind with regulatory approval in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The device, meant for people dying from end-stage biventricular failure, works similar to a heart transplant in that it replaces both the right and left heart ventricles.  Last year, two heart surgeons also developed a beatless artificial heart based on ventricular-assist technology.   Batman's Robotic Knee Brace (The Dark Knight Rises) Did you know that fighting crime is really bad for your bones? One of the more interesting revelations about Bruce Wayne's 8-year hiatus as Batman is that the reward for his alternative lifestyle is a cartilage-free knee. The solution? Batman straps on an electronic knee brace that not only removes his permanent limp but also allows him to kick through walls!   The Reality - Electronically stimulated knee braces do exist – just not in a form that is as sleek and compact as the one Bruce Wayne wears. The BioniCare system, for example, corrects misalignment of the knee and uses electrical pulses to stimulate joint tissues. Some question the fuzzy science behind the system but it is reported to reduce pain in patients. Either way, we're pretty sure your orthopedist won't recommend kicking any brick walls while you're wearing one.  Spider-Man's Webs  Peter Parker really hit on something when he figured out how to make Spider-Man's signature webbing. It's a material that has the proportional tensile strength of real spider webbing – making it incredibly strong, lightweight, and durable -  suitable for swinging and hanging from buildings, sealing wounds, and sensing vibrations. Oh, and it's also 100% biodegradable...because Spider-Man is green like that.  The Reality -  Scientists have looked into the properties of spider silk for a variety of medical and non-medical applications. Last year, a group of researchers successfully used spider silk as a matrix for three-dimensional skin cell culturing (growing artificial skin). It also turns out that Peter is not far off as spider silk is a common ingredient in bandages and has been hypothesized to assist in tissue regeneration and may even have antimicrobial properties. The optical properties of spider silk are also being used to create better sensors for medical devices.  Wolverine's Bones Marvel's X-Man Logan, aka Wolverine, is known for the razor-sharp claws in his hands. But those are really just an extension of his skeleton – which is coated with a metallic substance called adamantium that makes his bones virtually unbreakable. The catch, however, is due to Wolverine's real superpower – his ability to heal incredibly rapidly. Without it, the metal coating on his bones would poison all of his internal organs and kill him in the most painful of painful ways. Oh, and this is not to mention that the process of bonding adamantium to one's bones is pretty gruesome.   The Reality-  Placing certain metals into the human body has been problematic, which is why scientists have looked to alternative materials, in many cases, to reinforce bones or create bone grafts. Bioresorbable polymers can be used to create plates that are absorbed naturally as the bone heals. Companies are also looking to create less-invasive bone grafts using non-metal materials such as calcium sulfate and even human fat cells.  Daredevil's Radar As a kid, Matt Murdock was involved in an unfortunate accident with a chemical truck that left him permanently blind. While the chemicals that got into his eyes destroyed his vision, Matt was able to enhance his remaining senses to develop a radar sense that allows him to effectively see by using sounds and vibrations.   The Reality - Don't go pouring chemicals into your eyes just yet. However, scientists are developing a variety of technologies to assist the blind. The Argus II eye prosthesis is the first system of its kind and allows patients afflicted with retinitis pigementosa to recover some of their sight. Colorblind artist Neil Harbisson has developed the Eyeborg, a prosthesis that turns colors into frequencies of sound - allowing him to perceive color in a sense.   -Chris Wiltz, Associate Editor, MD+DI