Design and Characterization of a Variable Stiffness Running Prosthesis for Bilateral Transtibial Amputee Sprinters

Master Thesis (2018)
Author(s)

A. Murillo Iraola (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

Contributor(s)

Frans C T van Der Helm – Mentor

OK Bergsma – Mentor

D.J.J. Bregman – Mentor

Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
Copyright
© 2018 Ainhoa Murillo Iraola
More Info
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Publication Year
2018
Language
English
Copyright
© 2018 Ainhoa Murillo Iraola
Graduation Date
05-10-2018
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

The purpose of this thesis project is to design a new concept of sprinting prosthesis to enhance the acceleration phase performance of bilateral transtibial amputees (BTAs) competing in sprinting races. Amputee sprinters are hampered in the acceleration phase of a sprint race by the compliance of their prostheses. Increased contact times, and small and too vertical ground reaction forces limit the acceleration performance of BTAs. A variable stiffness prosthesis, with a higher stiffness at the initial steps of the acceleration phase, would reduce contact times and increase forward propulsion. A new variable stiffness design is proposed in this report. A prototype of this new design is created and characterized by retrieving the stiffness matrices and ellipses. Ottobock's 1E90 prosthesis is also characterized, and the results are compared. For this, a new testing methodology to obtain the stiffness ellipses of running prostheses (RPs) is proposed.

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