TY - GEN
T1 - The sparky (spring ankle with regenerative kinetics) project
T2 - 6th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics and Control, presented at - 2007 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE2007
AU - Hitt, Joseph K.
AU - Bellman, Ryan
AU - Holgate, Matthew
AU - Sugar, Thomas
AU - Hollander, Kevin W.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Even today's most sophisticated microprocessor controlled ankle-foot prosthetic devices are passive. They lack internal elements that actively generate power, which is required during the "push-off' phase of normal able-bodied walking gait. Consequently, lower limb amputees expend 20-30% more metabolic power to walk at the same speed as able-bodied individuals. Key challenges in the development of an active ankle-foot prosthetic device are the lack of high power and energy densities in current actuator technology. Human gait requires 250W of peak power and 36 Joules of energy per step (80kg subject at 0.8Hz walking rate). Even a highly efficient motor such as the RE75 by Maxon Precision Motors, Inc. rated for 250W continuous power with an appropriate gearbox would weigh 6.6 Kg. This paper presents the first phase of the Spring Ankle with Regenerative Kinetics (SPARKy 1), a multi-phased project funded by the US Army Military Amputee Research Program, which seeks to develop a new generation of powered prosthetic devices based on the Robotic Tendon actuator, that significantly minimizes the peak power requirement of an electric motor and total system energy requirement while providing the amputee enhanced ankle motion and "push-off" power. This paper will present data to show the kinetic advantages of the Robotic Tendon and the electro-mechanical design and analysis of SPARKy 1 that will provide its users with 100% of required "push-off" power and ankle sagittal plane range of motion comparable to able-bodied gait. Index Terms - SPARKy, Ankle-Foot Prosthesis, Power/Energy Density, Powered Prosthesis, Power Amplification.
AB - Even today's most sophisticated microprocessor controlled ankle-foot prosthetic devices are passive. They lack internal elements that actively generate power, which is required during the "push-off' phase of normal able-bodied walking gait. Consequently, lower limb amputees expend 20-30% more metabolic power to walk at the same speed as able-bodied individuals. Key challenges in the development of an active ankle-foot prosthetic device are the lack of high power and energy densities in current actuator technology. Human gait requires 250W of peak power and 36 Joules of energy per step (80kg subject at 0.8Hz walking rate). Even a highly efficient motor such as the RE75 by Maxon Precision Motors, Inc. rated for 250W continuous power with an appropriate gearbox would weigh 6.6 Kg. This paper presents the first phase of the Spring Ankle with Regenerative Kinetics (SPARKy 1), a multi-phased project funded by the US Army Military Amputee Research Program, which seeks to develop a new generation of powered prosthetic devices based on the Robotic Tendon actuator, that significantly minimizes the peak power requirement of an electric motor and total system energy requirement while providing the amputee enhanced ankle motion and "push-off" power. This paper will present data to show the kinetic advantages of the Robotic Tendon and the electro-mechanical design and analysis of SPARKy 1 that will provide its users with 100% of required "push-off" power and ankle sagittal plane range of motion comparable to able-bodied gait. Index Terms - SPARKy, Ankle-Foot Prosthesis, Power/Energy Density, Powered Prosthesis, Power Amplification.
KW - Ankle-foot prosthesis
KW - Power amplification
KW - Power/energy density
KW - Powered prosthesis
KW - SPARKy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=44949238668&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=44949238668&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1115/DETC2007-34512
DO - 10.1115/DETC2007-34512
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:44949238668
SN - 0791848027
SN - 9780791848029
SN - 079184806X
SN - 9780791848067
T3 - 2007 Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, DETC2007
SP - 1587
EP - 1596
BT - 2007 Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, DETC2007
Y2 - 4 September 2007 through 7 September 2007
ER -