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REBUILDING HUMANS by VITO DI BARI blindness and artificial hands with feeling. Science is remaking the body top to bottom. comes prosthetic retinas to fight We've marveled at the "Blade Runner" track star and now makes commonplace what would have seemed like miracles to previous generations. Born without fibulas, Pistorius' O scar Pistorius, quite lit- erally, is sprinting into a future in which technology legs were amputated below the knee when he was an infant, with the hope that prosthetic limbs would give him a bet- ter chance of eventually walking. Today, Pistorius not only can walk with ease, he's is a world-class runner whose times in the 100-, 200- and 400- meter events make him competitive with some of the fastest people in the world. Known as the "Blade Runner," the 26-year-old South African com- petes using artificial legs made by the Iceland-based company Össur. The Cheetah Flex-Foot on which he runs uses lightweight carbon fiber developed for the aerospace industry. The prosthetic device is so effective it has created a contro- versy in the sports community. Some people believe the artificial limbs give Pistorius an unfair advantage against athletes using their natural legs. Aimee Mullins, born also with- out fibulas, likewise had her legs amputated in infancy. Using state- of-the art prosthetics, she com- peted during college at the highest level in track and field. Since then, the 36-year-old American has walked down fashion show run- ways next to super models and has Click here to see Oscar Pistorius featured on Extraordinary People. 62