Conceptual design of an energy efficient transfemoral prosthesis

In this study, we present the conceptual design of a fully-passive transfemoral prosthesis. The design is inspired by the power flow in human gait in order to have an energy efficient device. The working principle of the conceptual mechanism is based on three storage elements, which are responsible of the energetic coupling between the knee and the ankle joints. Design parameters of the prosthesis have been determined according to the energy absorption intervals of the human gait. Simulation results shows that the power flow of the system is comparable with human data. Finally, an initial prototype is presented as proof of concept.

[1]  A. Rovetta,et al.  Biorobotic Criteria in the Design of a New Limb Prosthesis , 2001 .

[2]  Richard A. Brand,et al.  The biomechanics and motor control of human gait: Normal, elderly, and pathological , 1992 .

[3]  R. Waters,et al.  Energy cost of walking of amputees: the influence of level of amputation. , 1976, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[4]  Michael Goldfarb,et al.  Design and Control of a Powered Transfemoral Prosthesis , 2008, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[5]  R. Brand,et al.  The biomechanics and motor control of human gait: Normal, elderly, and pathological , 1992 .

[6]  S. Stramigioli,et al.  Prototype design and realization of an innovative energy efficient transfemoral prosthesis , 2010, 2010 3rd IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics.

[7]  Alberto Rovetta,et al.  Innovatory bio-robotic system for the accumulation of the energy of step in a limb prosthesis , 2003 .

[8]  Jun-Ho Oh,et al.  Development of an above knee prosthesis using MR damper and leg simulator , 2001, Proceedings 2001 ICRA. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.01CH37164).

[9]  Giovanni Campa,et al.  Biorobotic design criteria for Innovative Limb Prosthesis , 2002 .

[10]  Woodie Claude Flowers.  A man-interactive simulator system for above-knee prosthetics studies. , 1973 .

[11]  Michael Goldfarb,et al.  Self-contained powered knee and ankle prosthesis: Initial evaluation on a transfemoral amputee , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics.

[12]  H.A. Varol,et al.  Design and control of an active electrical knee and ankle prosthesis , 2008, 2008 2nd IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics.

[13]  Alberto Rovetta,et al.  Development of a Simple and Effcient Above Knee Prosthesis , 2003 .

[14]  K.W. Hollander,et al.  Adjustable robotic tendon using a 'Jack Spring'/spl trade/ , 2005, 9th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, 2005. ICORR 2005..

[15]  스테판 베다드,et al.  Actuated Leg Prosthesis for Above-knee Amputees , 2003 .

[16]  D. Herring,et al.  Adjustable Robotic Tendon using a ‘ Jack Spring ’ TM , 2005 .

[17]  T.G. Sugar,et al.  SPARKy 3: Design of an active robotic ankle prosthesis with two actuated degrees of freedom using regenerative kinetics , 2008, 2008 2nd IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics.

[18]  Hugh Herr,et al.  User-adaptive control of a magnetorheological prosthetic knee , 2003, Ind. Robot.

[19]  A. Schaft.  L2-Gain and Passivity Techniques in Nonlinear Control. Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences 218 , 1996 .

[20]  Thomas R. Kane,et al.  THEORY AND APPLICATIONS , 1984 .