Lead inventor: Mike Hahn
Co-inventors: Mike Hahn
Licensing contact: Christine Gramer
1. Technology Overview
The invention focuses on a versatile lower limb prosthesis, named Walking and Running Prosthesis (WARP), designed to improve locomotion across both low-impact walking and higher-impact running tasks. The prosthesis actively varies its properties to match different tasks, using semi-active actuation to modify its structure without requiring human-scale power input. The technology is currently in the development stage, with promising cross-industry applications in prosthetics, rehabilitation, and sports equipment.
2. Key Features and Benefits
- Versatile locomotion: Switches between walking and running modes.
- Semi-active actuation: Modifies properties without heavy, noisy motors.
- Enhanced mobility: Provides improved versatility compared to passive prostheses.
- Compatibility: Integrates with existing running-specific prostheses.
- Scalability: Production processes can be scaled for larger quantities.
3. Applications and Market Focus
- Prosthetics: Use in versatile lower limb prosthetic devices.
- Rehabilitation: Integration into enhanced mobility solutions.
- Sports equipment: Development of adaptive devices for athletes.
- Advanced mobility solutions: Use in emerging prosthetics and rehabilitation applications.
- Medical devices: Exploitation of semi-active actuation for various applications.
4. Commercial Advantages
- Strategic benefits: Provides reliable and scalable prosthetic devices for various applications.
- Implementation advantages: Facilitates integration into existing prosthetics and rehabilitation systems.
- Market positioning: Positions technology as a key enabler for advanced mobility solutions.
- Competitive advantages: Offers versatile locomotion and semi-active actuation compared to existing methods.
5. Partnership Opportunities
- Ideal licensing partners: Prosthetics manufacturers, rehabilitation centers, sports equipment companies.
- Cross-sector partnership benefits: Collaboration opportunities across prosthetics, rehabilitation, and sports equipment industries.
- Diverse market opportunities: Potential for global market expansion in regions with strong prosthetics and rehabilitation industries.
- Collaborative development: Opportunities for joint development of hybrid devices and custom fabrication services.
Patent filing: US10575969B2