Prosthetics for cyclists

Researchers on the Fraunhofer Institute for manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart have built a cellular, biomechanical measuring station and developed a suitable check prosthetic. Coordinated by way of Dr. Anja Hirschmüller of the medical center on the university of Freiburg, the paintings was done in collaboration with the middle and the cycling division of the country wide Paralympic Committee Germany (DBS). "we can adjust the check prosthesis perfectly for anyone," explains Fraunhofer IPA scientist Florian Blab. "For the primary time, we're taking the athletes' subjective perceptions to a systematic stage." before now, it has been as much as orthopedic technicians to adjust each prosthesis via hand.

The combined aim of the researchers operating at the challenge is to establish goal parameters so as to allow them to test each how properly a prosthesis suits and the way the athlete actions. the use of these parameters, they are able to modify the prosthesis to exactly in shape the wearer's bodily traits, schooling degree and frame weight. in the movement lab, the athlete sits on a desk bound motorcycle -- a cycloergometer -- with markers attached to extraordinary factors on their body. As they pedal, eight to 12 infrared cameras file the position of each marker to inside half of a millimeter. Sensors on the pedals measure the force the athlete applies to the pedals in all three spatial instructions. "This information tells us each how tons pressure the joint exerts and how much paintings the muscular tissues are doing," says Blab. for instance, if the ergometer registers 300 watts, the scientists can check whether or not the athlete is generating the 300 watts or if they're having to work more difficult to compensate for power misplaced through the prosthesis or wrong actions.