Design of a Prosthetic Ankle Complex

Abstract

Nature has, over a large span of geological time, engineered near perfect solutions to most problems humans face today. Motion of the limbs is one such area, and the cutting edge in the development of effective prostheses is biomimetics. Limb prostheses have been used by mankind for the better part of known history, and most of the technology currently available in prosthetics is not exclusively new. However, modern prosthetics either are uncomfortable—and the lack of flexion affects the gait of the patient—or too expensive for a large segment of the populace. This chapter seeks to study the mimicry of physiological systems through the design for an ankle prosthesis that includes a passive damper and mimics the shape and behavior of the natural ankle joint.