Smart control for powered above-knee prosthetic legs
Controlling Locomotion over Continuously Varying Activities for Agile Powered Prosthetic Legs
This project builds smarter control for powered above-knee prostheses to help people with leg amputations move more smoothly across different speeds, slopes, and steps.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229796 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your point of view, researchers are creating computer models of how human joints move during everyday activities so a powered prosthetic knee can change behavior continuously instead of switching between a few fixed modes. They will collect movement and quick-perturbation data from able-bodied volunteers (and likely prosthesis users) and apply machine learning to identify how joint stiffness and damping should vary with walking phase and task. The new control rules will be implemented on powered prosthetic knees and tested so the device can adapt during steady walking, speed changes, and transitions like walking to stair climbing. The goal is a prosthesis that responds more naturally to you and your environment so walking feels smoother and safer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with above-knee (transfemoral) amputations who use or are interested in trying powered prosthetic knees and can travel for device testing.
Not a fit: People without above-knee amputations, those who use only passive prostheses and cannot try powered devices, or those with medical issues preventing participation are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make powered above-knee prostheses feel more natural and stable across varied daily activities, reducing effort and improving mobility.
How similar studies have performed: Previous powered knee and ankle devices have shown promise for improving mobility, but continuously varying impedance based on phase/task modeling is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gregg, Robert D — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Gregg, Robert D
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 below.