Current knee braces work to stabilize the knee. Depending on how vulnerable the knee is, there are different levels of braces from compression sleeves to bulky velcro strapped braces with solid metal framing. When walking down terrain such as a mountain for hiking, knee braces readily available to the public will not absorb shock well. One brace with this capability was designed by Spring Loaded Technology, however it is both expensive and the patient must go through multiple fittings by an Orthotist to create a proper brace on an individual basis.

The goal of this project is to create an inexpensive knee brace that absorbs shock of the patient’s motion. The brace should not cost more than $100 and be comfortable enough for a patient to wear without pain after extended periods of time. The design/prototype must not limit movement to the patient and should be flexible in terms of wearing over or under clothing. If possible, data logging will be added to smartphone device app stores concerning health metrics.

Project Name

Bionic Knee Brace

Project Number

P17012

Project Family

Assistive Devices

Start Term

2016

End Term

2017

Faculty Guide

Michael Zona, mfzddm@rit.edu

Primary Customer

Fritz Ebner, fritzebner@gmail.com

Sponsor (financial support)

Fritz Ebner

Planning & Execution

Project Photos and Videos

Imagine RIT

Problem Definition

Systems Design

Preliminary Detailed Design

Detailed Design

Build & Test Prep

Subsystem Build & Test

Integrated System Build & Test

Integrated System Build & Test with Customer Demo

Customer Handoff & Final Project Documentation