Prosthetic Party: Build and Test Replacement Legs
Student teams investigate biomedical engineering and the technology of prosthetics. Students create lower-leg prosthetic prototypes using various ordinary materials. Each team demonstrate its device's strength and consider its pros and cons, giving insight into the characteristics and materials biomedical engineers consider in designing artificial limbs.
Students design and create prosthetic legs
For one reason or another, many people require replacement body parts. Those who need artificial legs must have a structurally stable one to replace a critical part of the skeletal system. One specialty of biomedical engineering is designing and creating new and better prostheses (replacement body parts). Biomedical engineers are continually improving the strength, durability, longevity and lifelikeness so amputees can lead full lives.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe the engineering design considerations that go into developing quality prostheses.
- List characteristics and features that are important for a prosthetic leg.
- Analyze a prototype prosthetic leg and make suggestions for design improvements.