Prosthetics

Prosthetics

A possible application of biotensegrity research is the production of light-weight resilient and natural feeling prosthetics.

Are "Tensegrity Prosthetics" built on tensegrities?

Jerome Rifkin claims that his company "Tensegrity Prosthetics" has such a prosthetic, called the "K3 Promote." It was in clinical trials in April 2009.

Rifkin did not post any plans or pictures of the prosthetic. His clinical trial text read: Tensegrity Prosthetics' objectives are to test whether the K3 Promoter prosthetic foot affects walking efficiency or stability in trans-tibial unilateral amputees when compared to their current prostheses. The primary objectives are to determine if the experimental foot changes Cost of Transport (ml O2/kg/meter) or Stride Time Variability compared to an amputee's current prosthesis. Cost of Transport is an indicator of metabolic efficiency and Stride Time Variability indicates how likely a person is to fall. Oxygen consumption and stride time will be collected on a treadmill at the Gait and Motion Lab at the University of Colorado in Boulder.