Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2025
Engineering Platform and Experimental Protocol for Design and Evaluation of a Neurally-controlled Powered Transfemoral Prosthesis
Published on: July 22, 2014
Design, fabrication and experiments of a hydraulic active-passive hybrid prosthesis knee
Zhennan Li1,2, Chunbao Liu1,2, Yang Han1,2
1School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
Background:
Due to low friction, passive mechanical prostheses move compliantly followed by the stump and are used widely. Advanced semi-active prostheses can both move passively like passive prostheses and provide active torque under specific conditions. However, the current mechanical-hydraulic coupling driven semi-active prostheses, in order to meet the low passive friction requirements with a low active transmission ratio, lead to a significant problem of insufficient active torque.
Objective:
A hybrid active and passive prosthesis was developed to solve the incompatibility problem of low passive friction and high active driving torque of semi-active prostheses.
Methods:
The mechanical structure and control strategy of the prosthesis were demonstrated. The performance of the prosthesis was tested by bench and human tests.
Results:
Passive subsystem damping adjustment ranges from 0.4 N⋅(mm/s)-1 to 300 N⋅(mm/s)-1. The switching time between the damping and the active subsystem is 32 ± 2 ms. The continuous active torque output is more than 24 Nm. In level walking, the peak torque is about 28 Nm.
Conclusion:
The proposed active-passive hybrid hydraulic prosthesis could satisfy both low passive friction and high active actuation.
