Prosthetic Foot With Programmable Movement

Abstract

A programmable prosthetic foot includes a heel member simulating a heel portion of a human foot. The heel member has an elongated heel member shaft extending in a vertical direction. The foot also includes a forefoot member simulating a forefoot portion of a human foot. The forefoot member has an elongated forefoot member shaft extending in the vertical direction. A sensor on the foot detects compressive force on the heel member shaft and/or forefoot member shaft during a step. An actuator on the foot imparts vertical translation to the heel member shaft and/or forefoot member shaft. An electronic controller in operable communication with the actuator includes program instructions for operating the actuator by imparting the vertical translation to the heel member shaft and/or forefoot member shaft as a function of the compressive force detected by the sensor.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling the movement of a prosthetic foot having independent heel and forefoot members respectively forming a heel and a forefoot portion of a wearer's foot, the heel and forefoot members being received by an ankle member in such a way that, when the wearer takes a step, the heel and forefoot members translate independently of one in a vertical direction, the method comprising:
 detecting a compressive force applied to the heel member and/or forefoot member during a wearer's step;   receiving, by an electronic controller, a signal corresponding to the detected compressive force;   retrieving, from machine readable memory, a dataset corresponding to a heel member and forefoot member positions during the wearer's step; and   adjusting a degree of extension of an actuator in operable communication with the controller based on the dataset, thereby causing the heel member and/or forefoot member to translate in a vertical direction while the wearer takes a step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of clam  1 , wherein:
 a user communication device is in wireless communication with the electronic controller;   the machine readable memory stores a plurality of datasets corresponding to different types of steps the wearer takes; and   the datasets are independently selectable from the user device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of clam  1 , wherein the different types of steps the wearer takes include at least two types of human steps selected from the group consisting of: walking on level ground, running on level ground, traversing steps, traversing an incline, and traversing a decline. 
     
     
         4 . The method of clam  1 , wherein the sensor is positioned directly above the heel member and/or forefoot member shaft so as to be in compressible contact therewith. 
     
     
         5 . The method of clam  1 , wherein the vertical translation of heel member is independent of the vertical translation of the forefoot member. 
     
     
         6 . The method of clam  1 , wherein:
 the heel member is a rigid single piece that extends from an upper end received by an ankle member to a lower end positioned beneath the ankle member; and   the forefoot member is a rigid single piece that extends from an upper end received by the ankle member to a lower end positioned beneath the ankle member.