Figure 1: Active Foot Prosthesis Hardware Prototype & Control System
Traditional prostheses are incapable of fully aiding in human locomotion, resulting in amputees with asymmetric gait patterns and small stride lengths. Powered prostheses can improve mobility, comfort, and quality of life for lower-extremity amputees. This project focuses on the design and benchtop validation of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis prototype (PAFP).
The PAFP utilizes a belt-pulley transmission driven by an AK-60-6 actuator, integrated with an STM-32 microcontroller for real-time sensor communication (IMU, encoder, and motor controller). Benchtop testing validated transmission efficiency, compliance via backdrivability tests, torque response under load, and position tracking to replicate natural human ankle gait dynamics.
• Final Project Report: Download Report