Powered ankle-foot system that mimics intact human ankle behavior: Proposal of a new concept

This paper reports on the importance of understanding the human walking biomechanics for the design of new robotic and/or prosthetic feet. On the basis of the human ankle behavior, the design specifications for a new ankle-foot system are determined. Two existing electrically powered ankle-foot concepts are described. The first device was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Laboratory, the second was developed at Arizona State University. The performance of both devices is presented. Furthermore, we propose a new concept based on the MACCEPA. The working principle and the performance characteristics of this new system are discussed.