Post by thedarkknight on Apr 21, 2014 8:33:05 GMT -7
My group and I are working to make a better, more comfortable and flexible above knee prosthetic. We would really appreciate any above knee prosthetic user's feedback and suggestions as to whether they like our ideas and if they think it's beneficial and even ways we could improve!
Our ideas include:
1) An inflatable thigh - The inside of the outer socket will be lined with an elastic material followed by a cushioning foam. Air will then be pumped between the elastic material and the outer socket. This will allow the foam to form to the shape of the person's thigh and therefore be more comfortable.
2) A Vibrating Knee - We noticed that some people had problems in identifying whether or not the knee was completely locked (we are looking at the single axis locking knee). So we decided to implement a vibrating feedback mechanism to show that the knee was completely locked. As the knee is locked, the vibrating motor will be activated and then after it is fully locked, it will stop the vibrations.
3) Pylon - We are thinking of implementing a bike shock absorber into the pylon. This will allow for some movement as the person is walking and absorb any forceful impacts that may occur.
4) Foot - We saw that the prosthetic foot is not very flexible and therefore limits motion. We wanted to change this by making a more flexible foot but at the same time, making sure that the stability of the foot is not compromised. To do this, we thought that changing the material of the foot between the ball of the foot and the arch to a more elastic material would help. This area will not have only the elastic material. There will be a sturdy material (some type of plastic) that will limit the motion so that user's don't feel like they are sinking. We are trying to find a way to find the balance between it being too soft and too rigid so that it is comfortable.
We would really appreciate any feedback that you could give us since there is no better person to ask than the people who actually use this type of prosthesis!
Our ideas include:
1) An inflatable thigh - The inside of the outer socket will be lined with an elastic material followed by a cushioning foam. Air will then be pumped between the elastic material and the outer socket. This will allow the foam to form to the shape of the person's thigh and therefore be more comfortable.
2) A Vibrating Knee - We noticed that some people had problems in identifying whether or not the knee was completely locked (we are looking at the single axis locking knee). So we decided to implement a vibrating feedback mechanism to show that the knee was completely locked. As the knee is locked, the vibrating motor will be activated and then after it is fully locked, it will stop the vibrations.
3) Pylon - We are thinking of implementing a bike shock absorber into the pylon. This will allow for some movement as the person is walking and absorb any forceful impacts that may occur.
4) Foot - We saw that the prosthetic foot is not very flexible and therefore limits motion. We wanted to change this by making a more flexible foot but at the same time, making sure that the stability of the foot is not compromised. To do this, we thought that changing the material of the foot between the ball of the foot and the arch to a more elastic material would help. This area will not have only the elastic material. There will be a sturdy material (some type of plastic) that will limit the motion so that user's don't feel like they are sinking. We are trying to find a way to find the balance between it being too soft and too rigid so that it is comfortable.
We would really appreciate any feedback that you could give us since there is no better person to ask than the people who actually use this type of prosthesis!
