A team of biomedical engineering students at Colorado State University developed an energy-returning, 3D-printed prosthetic foot. They have applied for a patent and established a startup company to attract venture funding to further develop and eventually market the product, called the Goldilocks Foot.
One of the students, Garrison Hayes,
who had a left transtibial amputation due to pediatric osteosarcoma, wanted to design a better mid-priced prosthetic foot after breaking many of his. Hayes has tested each prototype version. If it is brought to market, the Goldilocks Foot would cost less than other models of similar quality, could be customized for the needs of the wearer, is more comfortable and, because of its material and latticework design, returns energy to the body, the team said. They think the Goldilocks Foot might retail at about $2,000.
The students call their design the Goldilocks Foot because it “will fit just right,” said Eric Gutierrez-Camacho, the team’s design engineer. He prints prototypes on his personal 3D printer; it takes three days to make each piece.
“It’s not just some rubber shell over an insert. This is actively supporting your leg and your body,” said Hayes. “When you apply pressure on it through gait cycles, the material wants to return to its shape, like a spring, and that supplies energy to assist you. It actively supports you and feels more natural.”
The features are a result of the foot’s polyamide nylon material. The layering of 3D printing creates the network of latticing, which allows the prosthetic foot to be fully customized according to size, shape, and use.
“With the Goldilocks Foot, we can reach infinite markets to address very specific problems with very specific solutions,” Gutierrez-Camacho said. “We can tailor each design to each person.”
The team, including Thomas Leachman, Lily Lindstrom, and Justin Rudrow, won the university’s Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium, which highlights student innovations. They will graduate from the five-year program with two bachelor’s degrees, in biomedical engineering and the engineering discipline of their choice.
“We want to revolutionize the prosthetic foot shell,” Gutierrez-Camacho said.
Editor’s note: This story was adapted from materials provided by Colorado State University.
