Development of Customized Orthotics Based on Lower-Leg Anthropometric Data and Task

The paper presents the development of a customizable lower-leg orthotic device. It consists of a single degree of freedom multi-loop linkage designed to facilitate task-specific lower extremity training for rehabilitation purposes. The device guides the knee, ankle and foot of the user along a walking trajectory obtained from motion capture of a healthy human subject. We hypothesize that a device that closely mimics natural human walking motion will be able to provide more desirable design solutions in terms of comfort, stability and safety. Multibody dynamic simulation software OpenSim is used to characterize and assess the trajectory produced by the proposed device. The dynamic simulation predicts the effects of walking with the device and allows the study of the interaction of the orthotic device with the human body during the conceptual and detailed design phases.