Design verification of optimized regenerative pylon with smart foot adapter for socio-economic backward classes with lower limb amputation

Abstract

Lower limbs are exposed to an immense amount of impact forces during walking cadence and ambulators rely on various systems to shield the musculoskeletal arrangement from external shocks that inflict injury. The work elaborates the need for the adaptive design of Regenerative effort assistive Smart Pylon (RSP) with a Smart foot adapter (SFA) and wave spring suspension mechanism to resist static and dynamic impact load of 60-100 kgs amputee and also stabilizes to ground reaction forces (GRF) without falling. Stress maximum, axial, bending, and torsional stresses were assessed for Al 6061 T6 material and the related fatigue failure criteria were evaluated. The operating stress, deflection response, and wave spring rate of the pylon unit have been calculated and the pertaining results show that the designed RSP pylon unit is safe to impact forces and more favorable for impoverished lower limb amputees and to carry out their daily activities without compromising.