A Lightweight and Compact Lockable Parallel Spring Enhances the Performance of a Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis

Heremans, François;Evrard, Jeanne;Langlois, David;Ronsse, Renaud
(2024) 2024 10th IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob) — Location: Heidelberg, Germany (1.September.2024)

Files

BIRO24_0112_FI.pdf
  • Open Access
  • Adobe PDF
  • 2.01 MB
Download

Details

Authors
  • Heremans, FrançoisUCLouvain
    Author
  • Evrard, JeanneUCLouvain
    Author
  • Langlois, DavidÖssur
    Author
  • Ronsse, Renaudorcid-logoUCLouvain
    Author
Abstract
Lower-limb amputation has a major impact on locomotion and quality of life. The last few decades have seen the emergence of powered devices aiming at replacing the missing limb and restoring the lost mobility. These devices endeavor to reproduce as accurately as possible the biomechanics of lost biological joints. However, the engineering toolbox lacks actuators having the same force and power density as human muscles. Electromagnetic motors with gearboxes are usually chosen for their high power density but their poor force density imposes limitations in terms of backdrivability and noise due to the high reduction ratio required. This work proposes a lockable parallel spring mechanism providing a substantial amount of joint torque required for an artificial ankle-foot prosthesis, thus lowering the torque requirements on a complementary motor to a minimum. This allows a smaller gearbox to be selected, consequently improving the weight, bulkiness and backdrivability of the system. Experimental data collected on a testbench suggest the lockable parallel spring, tested in isolation, exhibits negligible hysteresis and an instantaneous engagement. It provides 24% more torque and harvests 53% more energy than a fixed parallel spring, better reproducing the biological dynamics.
Affiliations

Citations

  • APA
  • Chicago
  • FWB

Heremans, F., Evrard, J., Langlois, D., & Ronsse, R. (2024). A Lightweight and Compact Lockable Parallel Spring Enhances the Performance of a Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis. 2024 10th IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), 407-412. https://doi.org/10.1109/biorob60516.2024.10719808 (Original work published 2024)