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- Creators: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program
- Creators: Redkar, Sangram
Description
This thesis worked towards the development of a parameterized 3D model off a cover that could go over any specific prosthesis depending on the parameters that had been entered. It also focused on gathering user inputs, which was done with the aid of the Amputee Coalition, that could be used to create an aesthetic design on this cover. The Amputee Coalition helped to recruit participants through its website and social media platforms. Finally, multiple methods of creating a design were developed to increase the amount of customization that a user could have for their cover.
ContributorsRiley, Nicholas (Co-author) / Fusaro, Gerard (Co-author) / Sugar, Thomas (Thesis director) / Redkar, Sangram (Committee member) / Engineering Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
This thesis worked towards the development of a parameterized 3D model off a cover that could go over any specific prosthesis depending on the parameters that had been entered. It also focused on gathering user inputs, which was done with the aid of the Amputee Coalition, that could be used to create an aesthetic design on this cover. The Amputee Coalition helped to recruit participants through its website and social media platforms. Finally, multiple methods of creating a design were developed to increase the amount of customization that a user could have for their cover.
ContributorsFusaro, Gerard Anthony (Co-author) / Riley, Nicholas (Co-author) / Sugar, Thomas (Thesis director) / Redkar, Sangram (Committee member) / College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (Contributor) / Engineering Programs (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Advancements in the field of design and control of lower extremity robotics requires a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanics of the human ankle. The ankle joint acts as an essential interface between the neuromuscular system of the body and the physical world, especially during locomotion. This paper investigates how the modulation of ankle stiffness is altered throughout the stance phase of the gait cycle depending on the environment the ankle is interacting with. Ten young healthy subjects with no neurological impairments or history of ankle injury were tested by walking over a robotic platform which collected torque and position data. The platform performed a perturbation on the ankle at 20%, 40%, and 60% of their stance phase in order to estimate ankle stiffness and evaluate if the environment plays a role on its modulation. The platform provided either a rigid environment or a compliant environment in which it was compliant and deflected according to the torque applied to the platform. Subjects adapted in different ways to achieve balance in the different environments. When comparing the environments, subjects modulated their stiffness to either increase, decrease, or remain the same. Notably, stiffness as well as the subjects’ center of pressure was found to increase with time as they transitioned from late loading to terminal stance (heel strike to toe-off) regardless of environmental conditions. This allowed for a model of ankle stiffness to be developed as a function of center of pressure, independent of whether a subject is walking on the rigid or compliant environment. The modulation of stiffness parameters characterized in this study can be used in the design and control of lower extremity robotics which focus on accurate biomimicry of the healthy human ankle. The stiffness characteristics can also be used to help identify particular ankle impairments and to design proper treatment for individuals such as those who have suffered from a stroke or MS. Changing environments is where a majority of tripping incidents occur, which can lead to significant injuries. For this reason, studying healthy ankle behavior in a variety of environments is of particular interest.
ContributorsBliss, Clayton F (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Marvi, Hamid (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Current prosthetic designs have limitations with properly representing the full range of motion that a human elbow provides. The structure of the biological elbow was analyzed to assess how it produces the flexion/extension and pronation/supination movement. The humerus and ulna have a hinge joint relationship, the humerus acts as a concave cylinder and the ulna acts as a convex cylinder, and the radius and ulna have a pivot joint relationship, the radius rotates around the ulna on a single axis. The joint cavity is responsible for flexion/extension and pronation/supination and also provides lubrication and strength of the elbow joint. A new design of a prosthetic elbow joint was created to mimic human elbow movements. The design uses a ball-and-socket socket joint that allows for flexion/extension and pronation/supination movement while incorporating a hydrogel lining to provide lubrication and restriction of pronation/supination to not go beyond human capacity. This joint was designed to be assembled from the back to the front; the socket has a cap on the outside that would allow for the ball to be inserted inside the socket and the cap be placed onto the socket. Once the final design and assembly process was completed, analysis of the design was performed to determine whether the design would be functional and reliable. The analysis concluded that the design and the material chosen for the design would not result in fracture and would also result in a large factor of safety, thus indicating that the prosthetic joint would not be easily damaged. Further research and development of this prosthetic elbow joint could be performed to allow it to be interchangeable with hinge joints that are currently used. Future work will include further research on the hydrogel lubricant, further analysis of the design and possible design modifications to allow for use in current practices and to account for the weak points in the current design. In summary, a successful redesign of the elbow joint prosthetic that provides low friction flexion/extension as well as pronation/supination movement will better serve the needs of individuals with amputation.
ContributorsHuffman, Randee Lee (Author) / James, Abbas (Thesis director) / David, Vowels (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05