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Active Post-op Knee Brace
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Overview
This prototype was built to reduce post-op anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) recovery time by enabling knee movement while ensuring that the joint remains within the range of motion (RoM) prescribed by a physician.
Role
- Student
- Designer
Team
4 Mechanical Engineering Students
Course
Cornerstone of Engineering
Date
Sep. 2019 - May 2020
Problem
Current post-op recovery knee braces simply restrict motion, resulting in prolonged recovery time.
Constraints
Design and prototype an active post-op knee brace that will measure RoM and correct the knee with active force, with the following constraints:
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Cost-effective and accessible
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No larger than 12" x 18" x 12"
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Within 1 - 2 pounds in weight
Brainstorming
We came up with three designs, each tackling the problem in a slightly different way. However, each one used an Arduino Redboard, breadboard circuit, LCD screen, buttons (for adjusting RoM), a way to measure degrees flexion of the knee, and a motor.
Final Product
The final 75% scale prototype was able to measure the degrees flexion of the knee using a potentiometer and show the value on the LCD display. It was also able to identify when the knee was outside of the set RoM and adjust the joint using a brushless motor.
What I Learned
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Steps to reaching an actionable solution from a problem statement
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Teamwork
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Arduino
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Breadboard circuits
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3D printing
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