Prosthetic Foot Emulator

For people who have lost all or part of a limb, rehabilitation is always a difficult process. For those who have undergone a trans-tibial amputation, their prosthesis must replace the function of the biological limb below the knee. FUTEK collaborated with Humotech to select a sensor for a robotic prosthetic foot that can mimic different devices to help find one that optimizes a person's gait. By mounting our LCM200 miniature load cell in-line with a servo-controlled cable system, Humotech was able to create a closed-loop system that allows patients to test products for better fit and faster rehabilitation.

How it works :

One end of the LCM200 series miniature tension-compression load cell is attached to the control wire attached to the servo actuator cable.
The other end of the LCM200 is mounted in the heel of the prosthesis.
As the individual walks, the cable pulls on the heel of the prosthesis mimicking the torque generated by the Achilles tendon while walking.
The force used to actuate the heel is measured by the LCM200 sensor and displayed on an IPM650 or IHH500 digital display or directly on a PC using the USB220 high resolution acquisition module and SENSIT software.
The instruments are then connected to a PC via USB 2.0 directing the servo motor, closing the control loop and allowing the system to adapt to the gait of an individual.
Using an IDA100 serial amplifier, the output signal can be simultaneously monitored and adjusted on a Windows PC using SENSIT software while delivering a high speed amplified analog output to a PLC/controller.