| 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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3 |
| Open Spots: | 2 |
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Team Member Qualifications:
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Junior and Senior Mechanical Engineering students |
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Description:
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More than 60 million people worldwide live with lower-limb amputations. The loss of a functional ankle joint often leads to complications such as impaired mobility, back pain, and postural changes. Robotic ankle-foot prostheses (AFPs) have been developed to replicate the biomechanical properties of the biological ankle and Achilles tendon, providing support for dynamic tasks such as stiffness adjustment and energy storage and return. However, most robotic AFPs require increased height to accommodate actuators and mechanical components. This added height affects the prosthesis’ overall size, weight, and appearance, which can disrupt the user’s natural gait and hinder the device’s integration with their body. One of the major challenges in AFP design is creating a low-profile mechanism that preserves the maximum residual limb length. Research studies have shown that individuals with longer residual limbs achieve more stable gait patterns, especially when navigating uneven terrain or performing dynamic activities. This improved stability enhances user confidence and promotes greater independence and mobility. The goal of this project is to finalize the engineering of a low-profile, variable-stiffness AFP in the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Device Lab (REAL) under the supervision of Dr. Choi. We aim to develop a compact and lightweight AFP using an adjustable cantilever beam design. The first phase of the project will focus on three primary aims: • Aim 1: Design and develop a compact, and lightweight AFP with adjustable stiffness. • Aim 2: Adapt the elastic cantilever beam design for scalable and feasible manufacturing, validated through finite element analysis (FEA). • Aim 3: Implement novel control mechanisms to create a smart, low-profile AFP. In this phase, the team will also produce initial commercial-style prototypes for preliminary evaluation. Phase 2 will expand to developing an AFP care framework and testing smart techniques through human subject evaluations. |