Energy efficient lower limb prostheses

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).

Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off (2016)
Journal Article
Weinert-Aplin, R., Howard, D., Twiste, M., Jarvis, H., Bennett, A., & Baker, R. (2017). Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off. Medical Engineering and Physics, 39, 73-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.10.005

Reduced capacity and increased metabolic cost of walking occurs in amputees, despite advances in prosthetic componentry. Joint powers can quantify deficiencies in prosthetic gait, but do not reveal how energy is exchanged between limb segments. This... Read More about Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off.