Active Prosthetic

Abstract:

Hands are essential to daily life. Whether it is interacting with others or with one’s environment, people rely on their hands for functionality, feedback, and control. For amputees, using prostheses can cost thousands of dollars. This financial burden is higher for child amputees because they need replacements as they grow. This project aimed to create an affordable active prosthetic device for children with upper limb amputations. This solution uses 3D printing technology to leverage both mechanical and electrical engineering. This device provides haptic feedback and control to its user at an affordable price. Using the client's toes, they can control the device with precision. The child that receives the arm will have a prosthetic that allows for greater control, functionality, and feedback for a low cost. The active prosthesis will also be released as open source for people to use around the world.

Project Description:

This project aims to provide below-elbow amputees with an affordable prosthetic, that can provide them with a sense of touch.

• This prosthetic can be easily replicable by others

• It can be sized for anyone in need

• It can also have temperature or pressure based sensing

Client:

Dr. Winfree

Dr. Kyle Winfree is the director of the Wearable Informatics Lab (WIL) and heads the Go Baby Go project at Northern Arizona University (NAU).

He will be the starting Client and will provide the design requirements.

Recipient :

Local family in the Northern Arizona community.

Background Information

This device provides below the elbow amputees with an active prosthetic arm that is affordable, functional, and controllable. Low cost prosthetics are available through Enable. Enable is worldwide group that provides open source mechanical prosthetics for people in need. However, the devices are limited. This project expands on their goal to share prosthetic design around the world.

Last Updated:

05-06-2019