Better Prosthetics for Above-Knee Amputees
Engineering
Background
For transfemoral (above knee) amputees, daily situations such as climbing stairs or standing up from a chair can become difficult challenges. Especially old and weak people are often not able to overcome these obstacles without help.
Task
Working with Ottobock HealthCare GmbH, a world leading prosthetics company, Paul developed a prosthetic knee joint, that supports especially old people while sitting down and standing up from a chair. The project included the following tasks:
- Biomechanical description of the sitting down and standing up process
- Development of different possible concepts for supporting these situations
- Design and final realization of a first prototype
- Evaluating the prototype with human subjects
Outcome
First, a scientific reliable biomechanical analysis was developed that helps evaluating further developments. Afterwards, a first prototype was realized, which can be tested in real-life conditions and is going to be optimised continuously going forward.