FURI | Spring 2019

Design and Control of a Soft Robotic Ankle-Foot Orthosis

For physical therapists working with patients with foot and ankle injuries, it is imperative that they have mechanical help with the rehabilitation process. However, existing solutions are cumbersome and stationary. To combat this problem, researchers are engineering a device using light-weight, flexible soft robotics that a patient would wear over the foot that would aid in the walk cycle, thus aiding the rehabilitation process. Testing is underway for both maximum load of the device and its effect on the walk cycle. If this device is successful, similar principles can be applied to the construction of devices for other parts of the body, aiding in rehabilitation for different injuries.