A prosthetic knee works by using advanced mechanisms to replicate the natural movement and stability of a biological knee. These mechanisms often involve the use of magnetorheologic fluid.
How Prosthetic Knees Mimic Natural Movement
Prosthetic knees are designed to allow users to walk, sit, stand, and engage in various activities by mimicking the motion and stability of a biological knee. This is achieved through complex engineering and technology.
- Stiffening and Loosening: According to the provided reference, some prosthetic knees use magnetorheologic fluid, which is a special type of fluid that can change its viscosity.
- Inside the knee joint, the fluid interacts with blades that dynamically change the fluid's stiffness, adjusting to the different phases of a person's gait.
- This allows the knee to stiffen when necessary for stability, and loosen during other phases of movement.
Components and Functionality
The functionality of a prosthetic knee relies on a combination of components and technological advancements:
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Magnetorheologic Fluid | This special fluid changes its viscosity based on magnetic fields, adjusting the resistance for controlled movement |
| Internal Blades | These blades move within the fluid to create the variable resistance needed for different gait phases. |
Example of Gait Adjustment
- Walking: During walking, the prosthetic knee needs to provide a stable base, and then allow for a fluid swing.
- Stiffening Phase: When the user is putting weight on the knee, the magnetorheologic fluid stiffens to provide support.
- Loosening Phase: As the user swings the leg, the fluid loosens to facilitate smooth movement.
Conclusion
Prosthetic knees utilize advanced engineering and fluid dynamics, such as magnetorheologic fluid, to achieve a dynamic range of motion and stability. This allows users to perform normal daily activities.
