The researchers from three universities rolled out a tuning system

To restore functionality of limb loss and amputation, prosthetics devices are used. Conventional methods are too complicated and time-consuming because they need to be attuned according to the patients need.

The advanced robot is developed by the researchers from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina and Arizona State University. This robot is computerized and works on the instructions given by a computer program that tweaks 12 different control parameters which target prosthetics dynamics like joint stiffness.

Helen Huang, co-author of a paper on the work and a professor in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at NC State and UNC stated, “We begin by giving a patient a powered prosthetic knee with a randomly selected set of parameters.”

Helen added that the patient’s gait will be controlled, and through the sensors, device data and patient’s walk will be collected. But presently, work is done in a controlled, clinical setting and the researchers aim to create a wireless network.

“This work was done for scenarios in which a patient is walking on a level surface, but in principle, we could also develop reinforcement learning controllers for situations such as ascending or descending stairs,” says Jennie Si, co-author of the paper and a professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering at ASU.

The researchers said if this system will be effectual and globally used, it will aid patients because they can save money by not going to clinics to visit practitioners.