While in the last couple of years huge steps have been made in the design and developed of prostetic legs, there are still steps to be taken to make the prosthetic be able to move in a more natural way. The problem is that the controller of the prosthetic does not have a connection to the reflexive neural system (which would allow a more lifelike feeling in the leg).
Project Reflexleg is trying to make headway in the development of this reflexive control. As the name of the project already suggests, the goal is to secure a natural connection of the leg and the prosthetic that goes in both directions. The prosthetic will function by attaching sensors to the stump of the patient, which still transmits electromyography signals (EMG) to a leg which is no longer there.
This does mean that these signals can be picked up to make walking look and feel more natural. This feedback between stump and prosthetic has to be continuous for the leg to properly function. A focal point of the project is also to develop a way to make the leg work energy efficiently, and for it to store and release energy at the right times.
NWO
