Powered Hip Prosthesis

People with an amputation at the hip or pelvis have the most difficulty returning to walking because their artificial limb (prosthesis) must replace the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Current prosthetic hip technologies barely meet the person’s needs, leaving these amputees with few options. This project will build from current powered prosthetic knee technology (Össur POWER KNEE) to create a new level of prosthetic technology that powers both the hip and knee. This new robotic prosthesis will improve walking, moving from sit-to-stand, walking on slopes and stairs, and safer recovery from stumbles. A better walking style can also avoid back pain and other joint problems in the person’s intact legs, which are common for hip or pelvis amputees. The freedom of powered prosthetic mobility may lead to more social and productive lives.

Faculty Supervisor:

Edward Lemaire;Natalie Baddour

Student:

Kelly Brannen;Hossein Gholizadeh;Yousef Bader;Farshad Golshan

Partner:

Össur

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Ottawa