A passive mechanism for decoupling energy storage and return in ankle–foot prostheses: A case study in recycling collision energy

Individuals with lower limb amputation experience reduced ankle push-off work in the absence of functional muscles spanning the joint, leading to decreased walking performance. Conventional energy storage and return (ESR) prostheses partially compensate by storing mechanical energy during midstance and returning this energy during the terminal stance phase of gait. These prostheses can provide approximately 30% of the push-off work performed by a healthy ankle–foot during walking. Novel prostheses that return more normative levels of mechanical energy may improve walking performance. In this work, we designed a Decoupled ESR (DESR) prosthesis which stores energy usually dissipated at heel-strike and loading response, and returns this energy during terminal stance, thus increasing the mechanical push-off work done by the prosthesis. This decoupling is achieved by switching between two different cam profiles that produce distinct, nonlinear torque–angle mechanics. The cams automatically interchange at key points in the gait cycle via a custom magnetic switching system. Benchtop characterization demonstrated the successful decoupling of energy storage and return. The DESR mechanism was able to capture energy at heel-strike and loading response, and return it later in the gait cycle, but this recycling was not sufficient to overcome mechanical losses. In addition to its potential for recycling energy, the DESR mechanism also enables unique mechanical customizability, such as dorsiflexion during swing phase for toe clearance, or increasing the rate of energy release at push-off.