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Academic Lectures / Courses
ME Summer Seminar: Aug 12 @ 1:00 PM in BB W250 (Adamczyk)
Department / Organization: Mechanical Engineering
Channeling Human Power: Semi-Active Prostheses and Robot- Elicited Motor Adaptation in the Lower Limb
Traditional prosthetic feet and ankles are designed for multipurpose use to accommodate many activities, but this quest for versatility can result in suboptimal performance for each specific activity. Powered prostheses can be highly capable, but are also complex and costly. This presentation will discuss concepts and implementations of a middle-ground approach, “semi-active” prostheses, which aim to add adaptability and versatility with minimal addition of weight, height, power demand and cost. This semi-active approach leaves the human in charge of movement and power while optimizing the mechanics of the prosthesis.
Dr. Peter Adamczyk earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University (B.S.) and the University of Michigan (M.S. and Ph.D.) in the areas of Robotics and Biomechanics. He spent several years running a startup company dedicated to advancing the science and technology of lowerlimb prosthetics and real-world motion assessment. He is now the Mead Witter Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he directs the Biomechatronics, Assistive Devices, Gait Engineering and Rehabilitation Laboratory.