Design and Analysis of An Anthropomorphic Two-DoF Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Abstract

This paper proposes a two-degrees of freedom passive-dynamic ankle-foot orthosis (AFO). In view of enhancing anatomical conformity, an anthropomorphic design is proposed to minimize mechanical interferences between ankle and orthosis. The biomimetic features such as passive stabilizers and dampeners in the proposed mechanism intrinsically support the ankle and foot to maintain stability and improve shock-absorbing ability. The mobility, ranges of motion, and manipulability measures for the proposed AFO have been investigated using mathematical modeling and simulation approaches. The analysis revealed the effectiveness of the proposed AFO in meeting the complex kinematics of ankle joint compared to the predecessors. Potentially, the proposed AFO can serve as a platform to carry out research and development on robotic orthoses for the lower extremity.