New technology allows for self-tuning powered prosthetics

US researchers have developed a new method of tuning and refining the performance of powered prosthetics automatically.

The North Carolina State University study have created a software algorithm that allows powered prosthetics to tune themselves automatically as the user walks, thus improving their functionality and lowering costs associated with their use.

This algorithm can be incorporated into the software of any powered prosthesis to automatically tune the amount of power the limb needs in order for a patient to walk comfortably.

It works by taking into account the angle of the knee while walking, accommodating changes in a person's weight or gait that could otherwise affect the prosthetic device's ability to achieve a natural joint angle.

This eliminates the need for a prosthetist to manually adjust the powered device's system to achieve this.

Helen Huang, lead author of a paper on the work and an associate professor in the biomedical engineering programme at North Carolina State University, said: "We found that the computer performed better than prosthetists at achieving the proper joint angle, so we know our approach works. But we're still working to make it better."