BOSTON -- In the 70s, the idea of bionics seemed so far-fetched that it became a TV series, but the integration of biology and technology is gaining strength.

A new prosthetic knee, developed using research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is among those leading the way, reported WCVB-TV in Boston.

The Rheo Knee, made by Ossur, hit the market early this year. It is powered by rechargeable batteries.

On a hot summer day, John Warren, a scuba diving instructor, was filling an air tank when it exploded.

"I was standing within two feet of the tank and caught the majority of the fragments," Warren said.

His right leg was severed above the knee. His left leg was seriously injured. After being fitted with many prostheses, in February, Warren was one of the first to try a Rheo Knee.

"Within those 60 steps, the patient has to vary their speed a little bit, the knee starts learning how they move, how they walk, and at that point figures out how to adjust itself with the person," Warren said.

What makes the Rheo Knee different is that it's the first to use artificial intelligence -- tiny sensors that analyze the knee 1,000 times per second, allowing it to adjust to any step or misstep.

The advance comes at a time of growing need, in part because of skyrocketing diabetes rates, which can cause limb complications.

"People who used to get killed in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, are now surviving and as a result many of them need a prosthetic device," said Jeff Goode, a spokesman for American Prosthetics, which has offices in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Warren now helps fit amputees with prostheses. He said the $30,000 Rheo Knee is best for those who are very active, like himself, because it's more durable and adjusts faster.

"I definitely walk much faster with the Rheo," he said. "It frees me up mentally, and also physically, from doing as much work, so I have much more energy at the end of the day."