Hugh Herr

Hugh Herr is an American rock climber, engineer and biophysicist, born on October 25, 1964. When he was young, both of his legs were amputated below the knee after an accident during an unexpected blizzard on a rock climbing trip. After months of surgeries and rehabilitation he began climbing again using specialized prostheses that he designed for himself, and he became the first person with a major amputation to perform in a sport on par with elite-level, able-bodied athletes. He holds the patents to the Rheo Knee and to an active ankle-foot orthosis, which is described as the world's first powered ankle-foot prosthesis. His story links competitive climbing with prosthetic engineering.