Joint replacement is one of the most common and successful operations in orthopaedic surgery. It consists of replacing painful, arthritic, worn or cancerous parts of the joint with artificial surfaces shaped in such a way as to allow joint movement. The polyethylene component has been implicated as the key factor affecting the lifetime of these prostheses. This paper introduces a bionic artificial joint system which aims to prolong the lifetime of such prostheses. Included are bionic system design, investigation of bionic therapeutic lubricants and analysis of the mechanical properties of hip prostheses. Possible future developments which might improve artificial joints are also discussed.
