title: Design and development of an unconstrained dynamic knee simulator.
abstract: A dynamic knee simulator has been developed to allow in-vitro investigation of the mechanical response of the joint corresponding to dynamic functional activities, e.g., walking. In the simulator, the controlled inputs are the time-histories of three parameters of a given dynamic activity: the flexion angle, and the flexion/extension moment and tibial axial force components of the foot-to-floor reaction. A combination of stepping motors and electro-hydraulic actuators is used to apply to a knee specimen, simultaneously and independently, the specified load and/or displacement inputs while allowing unconstrained relative motion between the joint members. Satisfactory performance of the simulator has been established for walking gait conditions based on measurements on three fresh-frozen specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008838:Microcomputers; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016138:Walking; D016474:Weight-Bearing