Simulation of a powered ankle prosthesis with dynamic joint alignment

This paper presents simulations of a new type of powered ankle prosthesis designed to dynamically align the tibia with the ground reaction force (GRF) vector during peak loading. The functional goal is to reduce the moment transferred through the socket to the soft tissue of the residual limb. The forward dynamics simulation results show a reduction in socket moment and the impact on the pelvis and affected-side knee. This work supports further research on transtibial prosthetic designs that are not limited to mimicking physiologically normal joint motions to optimize lower limb amputee gait.