Bionic feet
Invention: Bionic feet
Motors that mimic the way human muscles work are revolutionizing the development of prosthetic limbs. Among the leaders in this area is the Biomechatronics Lab at MIT in Cambridge, US.
Researchers from the lab have now patented a bionic foot and ankle that attempts to match the biomechanical behavior of a normal human foot throughout the walking cycle and over a variety of terrain.
The limb consists of an artificial shin and foot connected via a powered, rotating ankle joint. A motor within the ankle varies factors such as the angle of the foot, the stiffness of the joint and the force absorbed and released during each step. This allows the limb to match the performance of a human foot when walking on a flat surface and even when climbing or descending stairs.
The prosthetic feet should feel more natural to a wearer and should also adapt to different terrain, such as a flight of stairs, without requiring extra effort.
Motors that mimic the way human muscles work are revolutionizing the development of prosthetic limbs. Among the leaders in this area is the Biomechatronics Lab at MIT in Cambridge, US.
Researchers from the lab have now patented a bionic foot and ankle that attempts to match the biomechanical behavior of a normal human foot throughout the walking cycle and over a variety of terrain.
The limb consists of an artificial shin and foot connected via a powered, rotating ankle joint. A motor within the ankle varies factors such as the angle of the foot, the stiffness of the joint and the force absorbed and released during each step. This allows the limb to match the performance of a human foot when walking on a flat surface and even when climbing or descending stairs.
The prosthetic feet should feel more natural to a wearer and should also adapt to different terrain, such as a flight of stairs, without requiring extra effort.
posted by LexMonkey at 4/05/2007 10:48:00 AM ||
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