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uperhuman is back with Season 5! Premiering Wednesday, August 7th, we’ll be meeting the scientists, cyborgs, and real life heroes who are pushing the frontiers of groundbreaking medical technology.
Can’t wait until then? Get to know the Superhuman cast below.
The Emerging Cyborg
Meet Alec McMorris
When his cousin’s car skidded into a guardrail on an icy Utah road in 2013, Alec McMorris rushed to help him. While trying to provide aid, Alec was struck by a truck going 85 mph, leaving him on life-support for the next five days and without a leg. Now a patient advocate and prosthetic technician, Alec is helping the University of Utah’s Bionic Engineering Lab pioneer a bionic limb that comes closer to simulating a real leg than anything he’s ever felt before. Check out Freethink’s upcoming Superhuman Season 5 to meet Alec.
Rewiring the Spinal Cord
Meet Susan Harkema
Something crazy is happening in Kentucky. At Dr. Susan Harkema’s lab at the University of Louisville, people with severe spinal cord injuries are regaining muscle function — a phenomenon that challenges our entire understanding of the interplay between the brain and the spine. Check out Freethink’s upcoming Superhuman Season 5 to meet Dr. Harkema and her patients.
The New Wheelchair
Meet Rory Cooper
Dr. Rory Cooper was serving in the Army when he suffered a devastating spinal injury after being hit by a bus while riding his bike. Though physically paralyzed, he didn’t let his injuries prevent him from leading an active and meaningful life. Now his lab at the University of Pittsburgh is working to push the boundaries of wheelchair technology. His work enables more people with disabilities to live independent lives. Check out Freethink’s upcoming Superhuman Season 5 to meet Dr. Cooper and his team.
The Real Phantom Limb
Meet Luke Osborn
Just because a limb is gone doesn’t mean it stops producing a sensation. Phantom limb sensation is a ghost of the body: an uncanny experience of pain and feeling from amputated limbs. Traditionally, prosthetics could offer capability but not feeling, but now a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins is attempting to change that. Dr. Luke Osborn and his lab have created the “e-dermis,” a collection of fabric and sensors that is meant to mimic real skin and the sensation of a natural limb, bringing the phantom one step closer to reality. Check out Freethink’s upcoming Superhuman Season 5 to meet Dr. Osborn and his team.
Exoskeleton Marathon Racer
Meet Adam Gorlitsky
Adam Gorlitsky was never supposed to walk again after an automobile accident broke his back. With the help of an exoskeleton system straight out of science fiction, Adam has completed a 10k race and a half marathon. Always looking to improve, he’s now got his sights set on completing a full marathon in January. Check out Freethink’s upcoming Superhuman Season 5 to meet Adam.