Wait'll This Becomes Popular

Robo-Legs By MICHEL MARRIOTT

While some users are eager to display their prosthetic marvels, many of which are paid for by private and public health insurance, others like to have them modeled to appear more human...

Hope Harrison, a professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University in Washington, had a leg amputated in 1979. Ms. Hope, 43, said she had used a range of prosthetics, but preferred the C-Leg now. She also prefers to wear it with a natural-looking cover.

"It's one thing to see a man with a Terminator leg," Ms. Harrison said, referring to the cybernetic character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the blockbuster movie series. "It may inspire people to say, 'Cool.' But body image for women in this country is model thin and long sexy legs."

But young men, especially those who have been using personal electronics since childhood, are comfortable recharging their limbs' batteries in public and plugging their prosthetics into their computers to adjust the software, Mr. Hanson said.

We're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with today's body modifications.