DTA

Dottorato

FAGIOLI, ILARIA

etd-01232025-161543

Advancements in Robotic Lower Limb Prostheses: Development and Verification of Novel Technologies for Enhanced Mobility in Transfemoral Amputees

ING-IND/34

Istituto di Biorobotica - PHD IN BIOROBOTICA

Presidente Prof. VITIELLO, NICOLA
Membro Prof. kevin de pauw
Membro Prof.ssa raffaella carloni

• lower limb prostheses
• Wearable robotics

09/07/2025;

parziale

Every year, over a million individuals undergo lower limb amputations<br> due to conditions such as diabetes, trauma, and vascular diseases. Among<br> these, transfemoral amputations are particularly disruptive, modifying nat<br>ural gait patterns, introducing compensatory movements, and increasing<br> the metabolic demands of walking, ultimately compromising balance and<br> overall quality of life. Robotic lower limb prostheses, which incorporate mo<br>tors, sensors, and control algorithms, offer a promising solution by restoring<br> joint function and improving mobility for transfemoral amputees. Although<br> robotic prostheses are primarily confined to the research domain, the recent<br> introduction of a few models to the market signals growing interest in these<br> innovative solutions. As the field of robotic lower limb prostheses evolves,<br> several challenges remain that must be addressed to ensure the widespread<br> adoption of these devices and make user-prosthesis interactions seamless and<br> intuitive.<br> This thesis aims at advancing the design and control of robotic prostheses<br> for individuals with transfemoral amputations through three main techno<br>logical contributions. The first contribution is the advancement of the Sen<br>sorized Prosthetic Foot (SPF), an optoelectronic sensory system designed to<br> estimate biomechanical variables and detect gait events in real time. This<br> work details the enhancements with respect to the first-generation design,<br> including a robust single-PCB architecture with improved wiring integration<br> and a streamlined assembly process. A calibration-free machine learning ap<br>proach was developed to enhance force measurement accuracy and gait event<br> detection.<br> The second contribution involves the design and verification of the Syn<br>ergy Prosthesis (SynPro), an underactuated knee-ankle prosthesis that lever<br>ages natural kinematic synergies to coordinate multi-joint movements using<br> a single actuator. Extensive bench testing and experimental verification<br> with three transfemoral amputees demonstrated the compatibility of knee<br>ankle underactuation for various locomotion tasks, including walking, stair negotiation, and sit-stand transitions.<br> The third contribution is the development of a compact robotic knee<br> prosthesis based on a series elastic actuator (SEA). This design incorporates<br> a torsional SEA to achieve precise torque control and inherent compliance,<br> facilitating a more natural interaction with the environment. A dynamic<br> simulation framework was developed to aid components selection, allow<br>ing to quickly assess various combinations of motors, transmissions, and<br> spring stiffness. A continuously variable impedance controller was imple<br>mented and compared with traditional finite-state machine control during<br> level-ground walking and stair ascent. Results indicate that the variable<br> impedance approach can deliver biomimetic performance and better align<br> with clinically relevant goals with reduced tuning complexity, as demon<br>strated in a case study with a transfemoral amputee.<br> Overall, the innovations presented in this thesis represent significant ad<br>vancements in prosthetic sensing technologies, design concepts that reduce<br> power requirements, and enhanced user-prosthesis interaction. The promis<br>ing results obtained so far have potential for future improvements, with<br> the ultimate goal of transitioning advanced prosthetic technologies from the<br> laboratory to clinical practice.<br>

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