Lobes Herdiman

Designing a Low Cost Endoskeletal below Knee Prostheses with the Implementation of Appropriate Technology

The endoskeletal below knee prostheses was commercially available in Indonesia. More advanced products also available in the market but they come with expensive price and high maintenance cost. This paper presents a design concept of an affordable endoskeletal below knee prostheses for daily living with functional ankle joint. The design was developed through the application of appropriate technology approach from the total ergonomics framework which consists of 7 characteristics; technically feasible, ergonomic, energy saving, economical, socioculturally acceptable, environmental friendly, and trendy. The result is an endoskeletal below knee prostheses with multiaxis joint system and energy store-return components installed on its modular ankle joint.

A proposed power assisted system of manual wheelchair based on universal design for eldery

Difficulties in walking is high percentage case in the limitations mobility of the elderly. An assisted technology commonly used to help the elderly who have walking difficulty is a manual wheelchair. However, the elderly frequently experiences difficulties in operating manual wheelchair due to gradually degradation of their physical condition. Preliminary study results showed that the average grip strength of the hands of seven elderly subjects was 13.8 ± 6.96 kg and the value is relatively weak. In addition, the mean maximum speed of 7 elderly subjects when doing to round the wheelchair is 0.6 ± 0.2m / s. This value is only 56.4% compared with an average speed of 20-23-year age group (8 males), which is 1.1 ± 0.1 m / s. This shows that the elderly who have walking difficulty have low grip strength and speed in operating a wheelchair. On the other hand, manual wheelchairs suffer an inadequate technology solution to solve the problem. Therefore, an assistive technology is proposed to create mobility aid to accommodate the elderly needs. One approach used is Universal Design. This paper proposes a system of intervention in the manual wheelchair through the 7 principles of Universal Design approach. The preliminary principle has not been able to accommodate the needs of the elderly will become a reference in the proposed design of this study.Difficulties in walking is high percentage case in the limitations mobility of the elderly. An assisted technology commonly used to help the elderly who have walking difficulty is a manual wheelchair. However, the elderly frequently experiences difficulties in operating manual wheelchair due to gradually degradation of their physical condition. Preliminary study results showed that the average grip strength of the hands of seven elderly subjects was 13.8 ± 6.96 kg and the value is relatively weak. In addition, the mean maximum speed of 7 elderly subjects when doing to round the wheelchair is 0.6 ± 0.2m / s. This value is only 56.4% compared with an average speed of 20-23-year age group (8 males), which is 1.1 ± 0.1 m / s. This shows that the elderly who have walking difficulty have low grip strength and speed in operating a wheelchair. On the other hand, manual wheelchairs suffer an inadequate technology solution to solve the problem. Therefore, an assistive technology is proposed to create mobility aid t...

Manual wheelchair intervention on transmission system by assistive technology to increase user mobility

Mobility is an individuals ability to be able to move freely, easily, and organized with the aim to meet the needs of the activity in order to maintain health. Individuals who have limited runs require walking aids, one of these tools is a manual wheelchair. The need for technology applied to these tools, so as to improve the quality of life of individuals who have limited runs. The goal of this research is to intervene in problems hub to improve the mobility of the manual wheelchairs user, as efforts to implement assistive technology to increase the mobility of users. To find out the needs of users, we design questionnaires based on seven key principles of universal design. Results of the questionnaire showed that wheelchairs users are fatigue when using a manual wheelchair. Preliminary studies indicate that the location of the hub effect is not significant to the speed of the wheelchair so that the suggestions given to improve the speed of the wheelchair is by change the type of hub. Then this design also uses TRIZ method, where there are some contradictions against the expected technical needs. Based on TRIZ methods, the inventive solution obtained is parameter changes, mechanical substitution, and self-service. So use internal gear 3-speed hub as a solution to the problems of transmission in a manual wheelchair.

Improvement in walking efficiency of transtibial amputee using prosthetic leg with multi-axis joint and energy store return ankle

Walking gait deviation in majority of people with amputation who use prosthesis is a result of asymmetrical movement, which is occurred between intact leg and prosthetic leg. The importance of this issue is how a prosthetic with multi-axis joint and energy store-return ankle can improve the walking gait. The purpose of this study is to show the improvement of walking efficiency in transtibial amputee. This study uses 14 male transtibial amputees as subjects. The subjects were requested to walk on the flat surface along 10 meters (4 times back and forth) walking track for about 6 minutes (6 minutes walking test) and with normal walking speed for about 1.2 m/s. We set 3 minutes rest when the subject achieving 40m. We also treat nutrient intake as 273 calories for all the subjects. From the test, we collect their walking balance and gait efficiency data as two main parameters for walking efficiency. A crossover design was used for the experiments, which separate the subject into 2 treatment groups and 2 testing periods. The result of comparative test between period (for all subjects and each group), period test and carry over effect test showed no significant differences which means all of the participant are equal and treated equally. For comparative test between treatments within each group, there are significant differences, which means multi-axis joint and energy store-return ankle has an effect to all treatment groups. We conclude that the intervention can encourage amputee to walk into more symmetrical movement with 59.54% in walking balance and 21.29% in gait efficiency, which indicate significant improvement in walking efficiency.