Characteristics of magnetorheological fluids applied to prosthesis for lower limbs with active damping

Abstract

The presence of people with amputations makes imminent the necessity of devices that replace the limb in both the aesthetic and functional, for which we propose the design and control of a robotic prosthesis with active damping using Magnetoreological Fluids (MRF) that are a new type of intelligent materials that have been characterized obtaining a shear yield stress of 41,65 kPa applying a controlled magnetic field of 0,8 T with a temperature of 20 °C, in order to have the active damping in the prosthesis will be necessary the use of a Magnetoreological (MR) damper which underwent to a dynamic damping behavior test reflecting 250 N as the maximum damping force. Control with Magnetorheological technology allows to have an instantaneous response in function of the signals obtained from the sensors, so that the patients could have a natural gait.