This summer, I worked in the Biomechatronics Group in the Media Lab as a student researcher. As part of Tony’s team, I worked on a 1-DOF mechanical knee prosthesis with osseointegration and EMG input signals. We reorganized the electronics layout on the leg, resolved mechanical sources of signal instability, and collected human subject testing data. I read various literature in the field of bio-integrated prostheses and combined three papers on embodiment to create a custom embodiment survey for our human subjects. Additionally, I created a bit packing scheme for communication between the EMG electrodes in the amputee socket and the prosthesis controller in order to optimize data transfer rate and system responsiveness by 3x.
Technologies: CAD (Solidworks), manufacturing (3D printing, electronics, machining), C/C++
Date: June 2023 - Present
Team: Tony Shu (Supervisor), Sean Boerhout, Alex Ko, Tony Shu
Media Lab website: https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/biomechatronics/overview/
Render of the prosthesis
Backup foot
