Single-Axis Rotational Motion Driven by Real-Time Body-Mounted IMU Data for Applications in Electromechanical Prosthetics

In an effort to prevent transpelvic amputees from experiencing further medical complications from improper standing-to-sitting transitions, this research aimed to provide a proof-of-concept model of an electromechanical hip-joint prosthesis that could produce symmetrical, single-axis, hip-joint motion across the sagittal plane. A bi-directional motor was used to produce single-axis motion of the simulated hip-joint, while body-mounted inertial sensors generated positional data for motor commands. Inertial sensor and positional feedback data were processed by an embedded microcontroller. Tests were performed to verify the accuracy and stability of the system and a statistical analysis of the data was used to conclude the overall effectiveness of this hip-joint prosthesis analogue. Results from system tests concluded that the electromechanical prosthesis, when under a load representative of a plausible thigh prosthesis, produced accurate, precise, and stable single-axis motion symmetrical to the non-amputated hip-joint.