A typical prosthesis doesn’t reproduce the force a living ankle exerts to push off of the ground. As a result, test subjects spent 23 percent more energy walking with a conventional prosthetic foot, compared with walking naturally.

To test how stepping with their device compared with normal walking, the engineers conducted their experiments with non-amputees wearing a rigid boot and prosthetic simulator.

On top of that, while walking, the foot produces one watt of energy, enough to power the device. Other such systems require heavy batteries.

I don’t see whether or not the foot has been used in actual real-world situations, but researchers are right when they say it could revolutionize prosthetics for the average person. Runners can have their running blade feet, but most people want to be able to walk normally after losing a foot — having a natural and low-profile foot is a step in the right direction.

[Via University Of Michigan | MAKE]

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