Publications by authors named "Carl S Curran"
Article Synopsis
- - Prosthetic foot selection for amputees often depends on clinician judgment, limiting user input in the decision-making process.
- - A new robotic prosthetic foot emulator (PFE) allows users to test various prosthetic feet with different mechanical characteristics, helping to tailor the best fit for their needs.
- - Testing showed that the PFE accurately mimicked the effective ankle stiffness of commercial prosthetic feet, indicating it can be a valuable tool in the foot prescription process for users.
Article Synopsis
- * Mechanical testing was conducted on 56 prosthetic feet from five different types across various stiffness categories and foot sizes to compare their linear stiffness properties.
- * Results indicated that while measured stiffness positively correlates with stiffness category, there is significant variability in stiffness changes within consecutive categories, suggesting the need for more standardized data in the prosthetic foot market.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the stiffness properties of prosthetic foot models to understand how they affect the gait of individuals with lower limb amputations.
- Researchers tested five types of commercial prosthetic feet across various user body weights and foot sizes to gather stiffness data for both the forefoot and heel.
- Results indicated a significant link between user weight and foot stiffness, but there were inconsistencies across foot types, highlighting the need for more objective data to help clinicians match prosthetics to users' needs effectively.
Background: Mechanical testing is the principal method used to quantify properties of commercial prosthetic feet in a controlled and standardized manner. To test feet in a mechanical testing machine without overconstraining the system, tangential shear forces must be minimized. However, there is scant published information comparing techniques for reducing shear forces during mechanical testing.
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