Design of an Assistive Partial Knee Support Device

Rodriguez, Justin; Bodurtha, Emily R.; Ring, Amelia D.

Student Work

Design of an Assistive Partial Knee Support Device

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This project began as a phase two continuation of a previous MQP endeavor, but with this year’s team focusing on reassessing the design choices made by the previous team and developing another design for an active partial knee support device, ultimately taking another path altogether. The prompt for this project was developed due to an identified gap in the market for assistive knee devices that provide active support, but not full active support. Most available devices are intended to replace or enhance knee function versus simply providing a helping hand to those with standard knee weakness. Additionally, most devices are not low profile, long-lasting, or affordable to acquire, key elements for the intended users. Research into the biomechanics of the knee joint and human gait as well as conditions that cause knee injury and existing devices guided the design process. A Bowden cable and pulley system, analogous to the knee, was the selected actuation method for the device. The team sought primarily to modify an existing device design, highlighting areas to modify in order to optimize the design for function and usability. Due to the loss of a team member and the restricting circumstances created by COVID-19, the team had limited ability to take desired experimental data, fabricate and test components, and fully flesh out the electronics and computer engineering elements of the design. Due to this the focus of the project shifted to primarily mechanical design, fabrication considerations, and analysis of user needs.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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