It’s virtually impossible to know Mike Sasser’s left leg is a prosthetic one – after a decade of practice, he moves surely and swiftly through his busy days as a consultant and father.
But when Sasser encounters uneven ground or a flight of stairs, he focuses very hard on balance, because that’s when using a prosthetic can mean taking a tumble. For years, he’s been visiting a Vanderbilt University mechanical engineering laboratory, making a difference by testing a new “smart” prosthetic ankle that moves with the user.
Prosthetic ankles available now are static, meaning users can’t adjust their feet to different terrains. Many swing the prosthetic leg outward ever so slightly during regular walking to make up for feet that don’t naturally roll through the motion of walking.
“I’ve tried hydraulic ankles that had no sort of microprocessors, and they’ve been clunky, heavy and unforgiving for an active person,” Sasser said. “This isn’t that. It actually lifts the toe for you. There’s a definite market for this.”
The device is from the lab of Michael Goldfarb, H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering; professor of electrical engineering and physical medicine and rehabilitation; and co-director of the Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology. He’s perhaps best known for working on a bionic leg with shark attack victim Craig Hutto and later developing the world’s first easily portable, wearable robot – the Indego exoskeleton.
You can read more about the smart ankle here.
For more technologies from the Goldfarb lab:
Upper Extremity Assistance Device
Coordinated Control for Arm Prosthesis
Monopropellant-Powered Actuator
FDA approves Vanderbilt-designed Indego exoskeleton for clinical and personal use