An energy-recycling artificial foot redirects energy that is usually wasted between steps to make walking easier for amputees. The foot’s creators, Kuo and Steve Collins, engineered a way to put the 23% of walking energy wasted with a standard prosthesis to work increasing the push-off power of the ankle. A microcontroller properly times and routes the captured energy to the prosthetic foot system to make the increased push-off power possible.
The Seattle Veterans Affairs Medical Center is currently testing the artificial foot and an Ann Arbor company is considering a variation of the energy-recycling prosthetics design for commercial production.
Energy-Recycling Prosthetics
Artificial Foot Makes Walking Easier for Amputees
Trend Themes
1. Energy-recycling Prosthetics - Opportunity for developing innovative prosthetic technologies that recycle and redirect wasted walking energy.
2. Improved Mobility for Amputees - Opportunity for creating technologies that enhance walking abilities and increase quality of life for amputees.
3. Efficient Energy Management in Prosthetics - Opportunity for developing energy-efficient prosthetic devices that optimize power usage.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Opportunity for healthcare companies to invest in research and development of energy-recycling prosthetics.
2. Prosthetics Manufacturing - Opportunity for prosthetics manufacturing companies to integrate energy-recycling technologies into their product offerings.
3. Medical Device Technology - Opportunity for medical device technology companies to develop innovative energy management systems for prosthetic devices.