Steenis, E.M. van (Ellis)
Design of a suit to deliver a plantarflexion torque at the ankle
At: Department of Biomechanical Engineering
The goal of this assignment was to create a prototype to be used in experiments regarding the influence of a force at the ankle during walking.
An electric motor provides this force. This force is than transmitted to the wearer by a cable, which pulls on the heel and pushes at the calf. The suit consists of a legging, which has straps of non-elastic material sown unto it. The non-elastic material transfers the force from the calf to the pelvic area.
The prototype was tested with experiments. These showed that the suit can produce a constant force at the wearer. However, displacement and discomfort of the suit are still issues, which can be solved with a different choice of materials.
A proposal for a commercial product was made as well.
Exam date: 26-09-2018