Full Leg Optimization (FLO): A Framework to Concurrently Design Low-Cost Passive Prosthetic Feet and Knees

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics

Background:

• Prosthetic leg performance is crucial for mobility and quality of life in above-knee amputees.
• Access to high-quality prosthetic components and care is limited in low- and middle-income countries.
• Current prosthetic leg design often overlooks component interaction and continuous care needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel method for designing prosthetic legs that optimizes component interaction.
• To minimize prosthetic leg adjustment time and cost for users, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• To enhance the mobility and life quality of individuals with above-knee amputations.

Main Methods:

• Introduced the Full Leg Optimization (FLO) framework for quantitative prosthetic leg design.
• Predicted the interaction between prosthetic foot and knee during late stance phase initiation.
• Designed a prosthetic leg with a Hip Trajectory Error foot and passive knee, targeting knee unlocking at 72% of stance.

Main Results:

• Preliminary results showed consistent knee unlocking at 73 ± 3.8% of stance.
• Minimal acclimation time was required for users to achieve consistent performance.
• The designed prosthetic leg demonstrated predictable functionality.

Conclusions:

• The FLO framework accurately predicts prosthetic foot-knee interaction.
• FLO offers a predictable prosthetic leg design method for above-knee amputees.
• This approach is particularly beneficial for users in low-resource settings, improving prosthetic accessibility and performance.