Swing-Assist for Enhancing Stair Ambulation in a Primarily-Passive Knee Prosthesis

Jantzen Lee1, Michael Goldfarb1

  • 1Vanderbilt University

Details

09:30 - 09:45 | Mon 1 Jun | Room T18 | MoA18.2

Session: Prosthetics and Exoskeletons I

10:15 - 10:30 | Mon 1 Jun | Room T1 | MoA01.5

Session: Awards I – Service Robots, Medical Robotics

11:30 - 11:45 | Mon 1 Jun | Room T1 | MoB01.2

Session: Awards II – Robot Mechanisms and Design, Automation

Abstract

Abstract—This paper presents the design and implementation of a controller for stair ascent and descent in a primarily-passive stance-controlled swing-assist (SCSA) prosthesis. The prosthesis and controller enable users to perform both step-over and step-to stair ascent and descent. The efficacy of the controller and SCSA prosthesis prototype in providing improved stair ambulation was tested on a unilateral transfemoral amputee in experiments that employed motion capture apparatus to compare joint kinematics with the SCSA prosthesis, relative to performing the same activity with a microprocessor-controlled daily-use passive prosthesis. Results suggest that the SCSA knee significantly decreases compensatory motion during stair activity when compared to the passive prosthesis.