Automatic ankle stiffness tuning for better balance in people with leg amputations
Official title: Automatic mode-dependent and phase-varying prosthetic foot stiffness modulation to improve balance control in individuals with lower-limb amputations
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11377702 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new prosthetic foot setup automatically adjusts ankle stiffness during daily activities to improve balance for people with lower-limb amputations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $330,713 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD111514-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377702 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with lower-limb amputation who use a prosthetic ankle-foot.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without limb amputation or those not using a prosthetic ankle-foot may not benefit.
What this research studies
People who have lost a leg often have a higher risk of falling because their prosthetic foot doesn’t adapt to different movements. This project tests an open-source, lightweight system that can modulate ankle stiffness on the fly as someone walks, turns, or does daily tasks. By matching stiffness to the activity, the device aims to provide steadier balance and potentially reduce fall injuries. The team will compare automatic stiffness changes to traditional fixed-stiffness prosthetics to see if balance improves in real-life settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to safer, more stable walking for amputees and fewer fall-related injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that adaptive stiffness can influence balance, but commercial solutions with automatic modulation are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neptune, Richard R — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Neptune, Richard R
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.