Autoknee

它是什么?

This smart brace solves two key issues: preventing habitual limping during recovery and reducing healthy leg strain, using dynamic load balancing technology.

你的灵感

Current observations reveal a critical gap in post-injury rehabilitation: patients lack access to lightweight exoskeleton support during recovery. This technological deficiency leads to prolonged compensatory movement patterns that overload the healthy limb. The resulting biomechanical imbalance creates dual harm - it not only impedes recovery of the injured limb through disuse atrophy, but also exposes the healthy limb to secondary overuse injuries. To address this unmet clinical need, we propose developing an intelligent ultra-lightweight exoskeleton system.

如何运作？

The smart shoe insert and knee support work together with tiny detectors that constantly check how hard your good leg is working. When they notice your good leg getting tired, the knee support gently helps out. It powers itself from your walking (the insert turns steps into electricity) and has a small spare battery to keep working.

设计过程

Starting with basic electronic components for initial validation, we identified and resolved sensor accuracy and overheating issues. Subsequent upgrades introduced graphene-based sensing and optimized the power delivery system. The final design achieved an ultra-light 5mm thickness through advanced weaving techniques while maintaining automatic load-balancing between legs. To ensure stable power supply, the system combines energy-harvesting insoles with a compact knee-mounted backup battery.

它有什么不同？

1. Ultra-Light Wearable Design Utilizing woven shape-memory alloy technology, the system is just 5mm thick - significantly lighter than traditional exoskeletons (typically 2kg+), while providing the comfort of a regular knee brace. 2. Self-Powered Operation The piezoelectric insole converts walking motion into electricity, eliminating charging needs and far outperforming competitors requiring daily charging.

未来计划

1. Initial Phase: Optimize the prototype using 3D printing to reduce weight to under 400g 2. Mid-term: Collaborate with the university hospital to collect trial data from 10 patients and develop a basic APP 3. Final Phase: Continuously refine and optimize based on experimental data

奖项