Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems

This work proposes a novel partially powered knee prosthesis to give full support to swing related activities. It represents a technological step forward when compared to microprocessor-controlled knees. The device is based on the electro-hydrostatic actuation principle, combined with the use of a s...

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Main Authors: Marco Puliti, Federico Tessari, Renato Galluzzi, Nicola Amati, Andrea Tonoli, Matteo Laffranchi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10990217/
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author Marco Puliti
Federico Tessari
Renato Galluzzi
Nicola Amati
Andrea Tonoli
Matteo Laffranchi
author_facet Marco Puliti
Federico Tessari
Renato Galluzzi
Nicola Amati
Andrea Tonoli
Matteo Laffranchi
author_sort Marco Puliti
collection DOAJ
description This work proposes a novel partially powered knee prosthesis to give full support to swing related activities. It represents a technological step forward when compared to microprocessor-controlled knees. The device is based on the electro-hydrostatic actuation principle, combined with the use of a series rotary valve to aid during dissipative phases. Another key feature is the backdrivability enabled by a directly coupled fluid-based actuation principle. To this end, we present a compact design that is subsequently built and tested experimentally with an able-body adapter to simulate a real-case scenario of level walking and stair tasks. Results are compared with the features of existing commercial and research devices. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the proposed prosthesis is the most compact electro-hydrostatic swing assistive device with the potential to improve the walking gait, for instance by increasing toe clearance and likely reducing the occurrence of stumbling or falling events. Additionally, the prototype enables stair ascent in a step-over fashion, a capability generally unattainable with commercial microprocessor-controlled knees.
format Article
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issn 2169-3536
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-fb83acee29124f31ac4e3c6dba5f80ec2025-08-20T02:31:02ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113820328204210.1109/ACCESS.2025.356788110990217Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic SystemsMarco Puliti0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0242-7150Federico Tessari1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3079-0643Renato Galluzzi2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6125-8222Nicola Amati3Andrea Tonoli4Matteo Laffranchi5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1189-281XRehab Technologies INAIL-IIT Laboratory, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, ItalyLaboratory for Biomechanics and Human Rehabilitation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USASchool of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico City, MexicoCenter for Automotive Research and Sustainable Mobility (CARS), Politecnico di Torino, Turin, ItalyCenter for Automotive Research and Sustainable Mobility (CARS), Politecnico di Torino, Turin, ItalyRehab Technologies INAIL-IIT Laboratory, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, ItalyThis work proposes a novel partially powered knee prosthesis to give full support to swing related activities. It represents a technological step forward when compared to microprocessor-controlled knees. The device is based on the electro-hydrostatic actuation principle, combined with the use of a series rotary valve to aid during dissipative phases. Another key feature is the backdrivability enabled by a directly coupled fluid-based actuation principle. To this end, we present a compact design that is subsequently built and tested experimentally with an able-body adapter to simulate a real-case scenario of level walking and stair tasks. Results are compared with the features of existing commercial and research devices. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the proposed prosthesis is the most compact electro-hydrostatic swing assistive device with the potential to improve the walking gait, for instance by increasing toe clearance and likely reducing the occurrence of stumbling or falling events. Additionally, the prototype enables stair ascent in a step-over fashion, a capability generally unattainable with commercial microprocessor-controlled knees.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10990217/Amputationelectro-hydrostatic actuationknee prosthesismechatronics
spellingShingle Marco Puliti
Federico Tessari
Renato Galluzzi
Nicola Amati
Andrea Tonoli
Matteo Laffranchi
Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
IEEE Access
Amputation
electro-hydrostatic actuation
knee prosthesis
mechatronics
title Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
title_full Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
title_fullStr Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
title_full_unstemmed Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
title_short Highly Compact Swing Assistive Knee Prosthesis Integrating Active and Passive Hydraulic Systems
title_sort highly compact swing assistive knee prosthesis integrating active and passive hydraulic systems
topic Amputation
electro-hydrostatic actuation
knee prosthesis
mechatronics
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10990217/
work_keys_str_mv AT marcopuliti highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems
AT federicotessari highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems
AT renatogalluzzi highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems
AT nicolaamati highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems
AT andreatonoli highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems
AT matteolaffranchi highlycompactswingassistivekneeprosthesisintegratingactiveandpassivehydraulicsystems