Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have developed a polycentric prosthetic knee to improve the quality of life for people who have had aboveknee amputations. Kadam, the polycentric knee for the above-knee prostheses, was developed in partnership with the Society for Biomedical Technology and Mobility India.
A team at the IIT Madras’s TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), which also created and marketed the standin wheelchair Arise and the active wheelchair and motorised add-on NeoFlyNeoBolt for indoor-outdoor mobility, produced Kadam.
R2D2 is engaged in research on human movement as well as the creation of assistive and rehabilitative technology for those who have movement disorders. Former president APJ Abdul Kalam founded the Society for Biomedical Technology under DRDO to facilitate the development of domestic medical devices. Mobility India, a Bengaluru-based organisation, will mass-manufacture Kadam, bring it to market, monitor the processes of fitment and training, and guarantee easy access for users.
The IIT Madras campus hosted the launch of Kadam. Technology is what connects a person with a different ability to the world of others, according to Johny Tom Varghese, state commissioner for individuals with disabilities, who spoke remotely at the launch event.
Aluminum alloy and stainless steel are used to make Kadam. “Indigenously created Kadam is cost-effective while also being of high quality and performance, and it complies with ISO 10328 criteria, including fatigue testing after 30 lakh cycles. It provides stability, decreases the chance of stumbling and its proprietary design is specifically tailored for use on rough terrains,” according to a statement by IIT Madras.
The statement added, “Kadam has advantages over a hinge joint because of the multiple axes of rotation and is specifically optimised to provide the user with greater control over the prosthesis while walking.”
Prof V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, congratulated the researchers on the productive commercialisation of Kadam and added, “A healthy future depends on technology advancing in the fields of medicine and health. Another example to support this need is Kadam. IIT Madras is quite pleased that its research and development activities are yielding goods that might be useful to humanity.”
FEATURES
- After transfemoral (above-knee) amputation, this knee joint is appropriate for short or long residual limbs.
- Constructed from high-strength materials, including stainless steel and aluminium alloy 6061 T2.
- Stability adjustments that can be changed to suit the needs of the user.
- Patented 4-bar geometry (Indian Patent No. 338006) ensures stability even on uneven terrain. Frictional swing control adjustment for various walking speeds.
- Offers knee flexion of at least 160 degrees at its maximum (range limited by socket).
- ISO 10328 compliant for proof strength, ultimate strength, and fatigue strength for P4 condition; multi-centric user testing with users walking on various surfaces and steep slopes (80 kg user weight).
