Available prosthesis
Prosthetics technologies are rapidly developing, bionic prostheses are being created, including an artificial knee controlled by microchips, a sensory leg with artificial intelligence, and a robotic arm moving at the command of the brain. But such high-tech designs can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are beyond the means of many patients, especially from developing countries.
A group of engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a simple and inexpensive passive prosthetic leg. Given the weight and height of the patient, researchers can adjust the shape and stiffness of the prosthesis so that the gait is more natural. According to preliminary calculations, such a prosthesis in mass production will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than currently existing analogues.
The operation of an individually adjustable prosthesis is provided by a special frame structure that allows quantifying the biomechanical parameters of the patient's gait.
To develop the prosthesis, the researchers used a dataset containing measurements of steps taken by healthy volunteers with a certain height and weight. They recorded changes in various physical forces and the shift of the center of gravity when the foot moves from heel to toe while walking.
After that, a mathematical model of a simple passive prosthetic foot was developed, which described the possible movement and shape of the foot. She helped to calculate the stiffness and ideal geometry of the prosthesis, which provided the most natural gait.
Another task of the developers was to create a simple, lightweight and inexpensive design.
As a result of long-term experiments, a prosthesis was created from treated nylon, outwardly resembling the runners of a sled.
The authors note that the prosthesis does not imitate a leg, it has no joints. It is a solid structure, but when walking it moves like a healthy leg.
Currently, the group is collaborating with a company developing a special coating for the prosthesis, which will allow walking with it on slippery surfaces.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on MIT News: Low-cost prosthetic foot mimics natural walking.