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Engineering Platform and Experimental Protocol for Design and Evaluation of a Neurally-controlled Powered Transfemoral Prosthesis
Published on: July 22, 2014
16.5K
Design of a Semi-Powered Stance-Control Swing-Assist Transfemoral Prosthesis.
J T Lee1, H L Bartlett1, M Goldfarb1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics : a Joint Publication of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society and the ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Division
|March 22, 2021
Summary
A new stance-control, swing-assist (SCSA) knee prosthesis improves stability during walking. This innovative device reduces fall risk by actively assisting the swing phase, outperforming traditional passive knees.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
Background:
- Microprocessor-controlled knees (MPKs) offer benefits like quiet operation and stability.
- Energetically-passive stance-controlled MPKs (SCMPKs) are susceptible to swing-phase instability and falls.
- Existing prostheses may not adequately address challenges during perturbed walking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and describe the design of a novel stance-control, swing-assist (SCSA) knee prosthesis.
- To address the limitations of SCMPKs in managing swing-phase perturbations.
- To evaluate the performance of the SCSA prosthesis in human subjects.
Main Methods:
- Design and prototyping of the SCSA knee prosthesis, incorporating a motor and closed-loop controller.
- Integration of SCSA functionality with existing SCMPK principles.
- Human-subject testing comparing SCSA prosthesis to SCMPK during perturbed and non-perturbed walking.
Main Results:
- The SCSA prosthesis maintains low output impedance during the swing state.
- Human-subject data indicates potential benefits of the SCSA prosthesis over SCMPK.
- Demonstrated improved performance during both normal and perturbed walking conditions.
Conclusions:
- The SCSA knee prosthesis represents a promising advancement in prosthetic technology.
- This design offers enhanced stability and reduced fall risk for users.
- Further research and development could optimize SCSA prosthesis for broader clinical application.
