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Prof David Howard's Outputs (104)

Simulation-Based Design of a Cam-Driven Hydraulic Prosthetic Ankle (2025)
Journal Article
Pace, A., Gardiner, J., & Howard, D. (2025). Simulation-Based Design of a Cam-Driven Hydraulic Prosthetic Ankle. Prosthesis, 7(1), https://doi.org/10.3390/prosthesis7010014

Objectives: A cam-driven hydraulic prosthetic ankle was designed to overcome the weaknesses of commercial prostheses and research prototypes, which largely fail to mimic the energy-recycling behaviour of an intact ankle, resulting in poor walking per... Read More about Simulation-Based Design of a Cam-Driven Hydraulic Prosthetic Ankle.

A three-dimensional whole-body model to predict human walking on level ground (2022)
Journal Article
Hu, D., Howard, D., & Ren, L. (2022). A three-dimensional whole-body model to predict human walking on level ground. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-022-01629-7

Predictive simulation of human walking has great potential in clinical motion analysis and rehabilitation engineering assessment, but large computational cost and reliance on measurement data to provide initial guess have limited its wide use. We dev... Read More about A three-dimensional whole-body model to predict human walking on level ground.

Simulated performance of an energy storage and return prosthetic ankle based on cams and miniature hydraulics (2022)
Journal Article
Pace, A., Gardiner, J., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2022). Simulated performance of an energy storage and return prosthetic ankle based on cams and miniature hydraulics. IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics, https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2022.3146628

Prosthetic feet are limited in their ability to mimic the energy-recycling behaviour of an intact ankle, negatively affecting lower-limb amputees’ gait in terms of metabolic cost and walking speed. To overcome these weaknesses, a novel prosthetic ank... Read More about Simulated performance of an energy storage and return prosthetic ankle based on cams and miniature hydraulics.

Effects of a modified passive socket system on short-term changes in residuum volume and comfort: A preliminary study in transtibial amputees (2021)
Journal Article
Atallah, H., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Liu, A., & Head, J. (2021). Effects of a modified passive socket system on short-term changes in residuum volume and comfort: A preliminary study in transtibial amputees. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 46(1), 54-60. https://doi.org/10.1097/pxr.0000000000000053

Background: Changes in residuum volume are a common problem in lower-limb amputees during prosthesis usage, and can lead to poor suspension, impaired gait, and tissue damage. Residuum volume can be affected by the in-socket air pressure, which will i... Read More about Effects of a modified passive socket system on short-term changes in residuum volume and comfort: A preliminary study in transtibial amputees.

A novel hydraulic energy-storage-and-return prosthetic ankle : design, modelling and simulation (2020)
Thesis
Pace, A. A novel hydraulic energy-storage-and-return prosthetic ankle : design, modelling and simulation. (Thesis). University of Salford

In an intact ankle, tendons crossing the joint store energy during the stance phase of walking
prior to push-off and release it during push-off, providing forward propulsion. Most prosthetic
feet currently on the market – both conventional and ener... Read More about A novel hydraulic energy-storage-and-return prosthetic ankle : design, modelling and simulation.

A pin-array method for capturing tissue deformation under defined pressure distributions and its application to prosthetic socket design (2020)
Journal Article

The Fit4Purpose project aims to develop upper limb prosthetic devices which are suitable for deployment in lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC's). Open-frame trans-radial socket designs are being considered, formed of several, linked components,... Read More about A pin-array method for capturing tissue deformation under defined pressure distributions and its application to prosthetic socket design.

Using magneto-inertial-measurement-units to track upper-limb movement during rehabilitation (2020)
Thesis
Al-ani, A. Using magneto-inertial-measurement-units to track upper-limb movement during rehabilitation. (Thesis). University of Salford

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) can be used to support upper-limb rehabilitation after a stroke. A key aspect of FES control and also patient monitoring is the automatic tracking of upper-limb motion during intensive and functional practise o... Read More about Using magneto-inertial-measurement-units to track upper-limb movement during rehabilitation.

A three-site clinical feasibility study of a flexible functional electrical stimulation system to support functional task practice for upper limb recovery in people with stroke (2019)
Journal Article

Introduction: Of those people who survive a stroke, only between 40 and 70% regain upper limb dexterity. A number of reviews have suggested that functional electrical stimulation (FES) may have a beneficial effect on upper limb motor recovery. In lig... Read More about A three-site clinical feasibility study of a flexible functional electrical stimulation system to support functional task practice for upper limb recovery in people with stroke.

An investigation into the effects of, and interaction between, heel height and shoe upper stiffness on plantar pressure and comfort (2019)
Journal Article

High heeled shoes remain popular, nevertheless it is not clear what influence manipulating characteristics of this footwear has on their functioning. It is accepted that shoe features other than heel height can affect plantar pressures. However, few... Read More about An investigation into the effects of, and interaction between, heel height and shoe upper stiffness on plantar pressure and comfort.

Logging therapy session data via an upper limb FES rehabilitation system (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Sun, M., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Smith, C., Waring, K., & Luckie, H. (2018, August). Logging therapy session data via an upper limb FES rehabilitation system. Presented at Annual Conference of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society, Nottwil, Switzerland

This paper reports on an approach to capturing real-time therapy session data using an upper limb functional electrical stimulation (FES) system to support our under-standing of its usability in clinical environments and to record therapy delivered.... Read More about Logging therapy session data via an upper limb FES rehabilitation system.

FES-UPP : a flexible functional electrical stimulation system to support upper limb functional activity practice (2018)
Journal Article

There is good evidence supporting highly intensive, repetitive, activity-focused, voluntary-initiated practice as a key to driving recovery of upper limb function following stroke. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) offers a potential mechanism... Read More about FES-UPP : a flexible functional electrical stimulation system to support upper limb functional activity practice.

Performance of optimised prosthetic ankle designs that are based on a hydraulic variable displacement actuator (VDA) (2017)
Journal Article
Gardiner, J., Bari, A., Kenney, L., Twiste, M., Moser, D., Zahedi, S., & Howard, D. (2017). Performance of optimised prosthetic ankle designs that are based on a hydraulic variable displacement actuator (VDA). IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 25(12), 2418-2426. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2017.2763999

Current energy storage and return (ESR) prosthetic
feet only marginally reduce the cost of amputee locomotion
compared to basic solid ankle cushioned heel (SACH) feet,
possibly due to their lack of push-off at the end of stance. To our knowledge,... Read More about Performance of optimised prosthetic ankle designs that are based on a hydraulic variable displacement actuator (VDA).