Qualitative and inexpensive foot prostheses are created
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Developers from Massachusetts created high-quality prostheses based on nylon.
Modern medicine can offer patients many models of comfortable, light and strong prostheses that will allow the patient to fully live and move, despite the disability. But such modern devices have one very significant "minus" - this is their high cost. Perhaps in the near future the situation will change for the better: medical engineers representing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have completed work on new nylon prostheses. Their feature is that along with strength, lightness and durability, their price is significantly lower than that of the analogues produced.
According to the researchers, the method proposed by them allows to choose the size and rigidity of the device individually for each patient: it is enough to know only the weight of a person. If the patient does not have only one leg, the manufacturing process becomes even easier and the prosthesis is done automatically.
The authors of the work say that their approach is truly original and accessible.
"Often, engineers began to make a prosthesis with attempts to reproduce the shape of the foot and ankle joint. We acted differently, focusing on the functionality of the limb structures. The foot created by us has an oblong configuration: we wanted to maximize its functionality. We also wanted the very form and organization of the prosthesis to have a minimal effect on a person's ability to walk and move without affecting his gait, "the specialists explained.
In order to carry out their development, engineers from Massachusetts thoroughly analyzed the nature and progressiveness of the movement of the ankle and foot. They evaluated the influence of a person's weight on his motor ability, taking into account the reaction of the joints when placed on the supporting surface and the displacement of the center of gravity at the time of stepping motion. After that, scientists created a digital model, which included collecting information. This allowed specialists to obtain optimal functional dimensions and configuration of the device.
For the manufacture of the largest elements of the prosthesis was proposed nylon. This material allows you to adjust the rigidity of the device, adapting it to the specific body weight of the patient. In addition, nylon significantly reduces the cost of prosthesis production.
"The most common passive prosthetic leg devices for today are made of carbon fiber. Their cost price can range from one to ten thousand US dollars. The artificial prosthesis, which we created, has a cost price of only a few hundred dollars, "the scientists say.
For more details on development, see the MIT News.
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