Design of a Transtibial Prosthesis Prototype for Normal Walking Based on the Anatomical Measurements of an Average Peruvian Woman

The demand for transtibial prostheses has increased in recent years. However, most active prostheses are designed for people who have larger and heavier body frames compared to other ethnic groups such as the Peruvian population. To address this limitation, this paper proposes the design of a prototype of active transtibial prosthesis for normal walking based on the anthropometric measurements and power requirements of the average Peruvian woman. The proposed prosthesis uses a motor-gear-ball screw mechanism, selecting the motor and ball screw on the basis of the torque and force requirements of the target individuals. We used the ANSI/AGMA methodology to choose the most adequate gears for the design. For the supports and structure that carry the entire weight of the individual, a mechanical simulation was performed to determine an adequate safety factor. In addition, a speed control simulation was added based on the designed mechanism. The results show the feasibility of our proposed design.