Interchangeability

One of the things I wanted to focus on in this design was interchangeability. Prosthetic limbs are extremely expensive, especially when they can be controlled by the user's mind. Limbs with different functions are made as entirely separate limbs, with each component redesigned and rebuilt. Purchasing each one for different uses can be even more expensive, so I wanted to include an interchangeability feature to minimize that cost.

Knee Joint

The first location of interchangeability that I designed was at the knee joint. The knee joint, which is connected to the rest of the leg, can be screwed off of the osseointegrated implant rod and replaced with another knee joint/leg. When it is screwed off, a cloth covering can be slipped over the rod to protect not only the metal but the user as well. Having interchangeability at the knee allows variety in more general uses–with a couple turns, a leg specified for driving a car can be switched out for one specified for running.

Ankle Joint

The ankle joint was the other location of interchangeability in my design. The feet can have very specialized purposes, from walking to climbing to playing the drums. To respond to this, I designed a similar interchangeability system to the knee joint, where a few simple turns will allow the user to change their foot prosthesis.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse