KEEN Awardee | Fall 2018

Design of E-Textile Based EMG Sensors for Locomotion Analysis

This projects seeks to design a soft ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) exosuit to aide natural gait restoration for individuals suffering from foot drop. The sock-like AFO is comprised of soft actuators made from fabric-based, thermally-bonded nylon and designed to be worn over the user’s shoes. The system assists dorsiflexion during swing through a contracting soft actuator, and provides ankle joint proprioception during stance with a variable stiffness soft actuator. This work will contribute toward the continual development of a lower-form factor, smarter materials, and a more convenient control interface.