| Affiliations: | College of Engineering and Computer Science |
| Team Leader: |
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| Faculty Mentor: |
Hwan Choi, PhD
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Team Size:
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6 |
| Open Spots: | 1 |
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Team Member Qualifications:
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Team members applying to this project are expected or preferred to have experience or interest in one or more of the following areas: Biomechanics or Rehabilitation Engineering Basic understanding of human gait, lower-limb biomechanics, or assistive devices such as orthoses or prostheses. Mechanical Design and Fabrication Experience with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360), prototyping, machining, or 3D printing of mechanical components. |
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Description:
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This project focuses on the design, fabrication, and human evaluation of an active ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) intended to assist ankle motion during walking. The active AFO is developed to provide controllable torque and adaptive assistance, aiming to improve gait performance and reduce physical effort for users with lower-limb impairments. The project begins with the mechanical and electrical design of the active AFO, including the selection of actuation mechanisms, sensing components, and control hardware. The device is fabricated using lightweight and durable materials to ensure user comfort, safety, and wearability during walking tasks. A control system is implemented to regulate ankle assistance based on predefined gait conditions and sensor feedback. Following fabrication, the device undergoes bench testing and functional evaluation to verify mechanical integrity, actuator performance, and control responsiveness. Subsequently, human subject testing is conducted to assess the effectiveness of the active AFO during walking. Experimental evaluations focus on gait kinematics, ankle joint behavior, and overall system performance under different operating conditions. The outcomes of this project are expected to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed active AFO design and provide insight into its potential benefits for gait assistance and rehabilitation. The findings may contribute to the development of more adaptive and user-specific lower-limb assistive devices. |