Cyberlegs X-Leg at CYBATHLON 2024: insights on the control development of an active transfemoral prosthesis.
Stefano Nuzzo, Sophia Taddei, Eligia Alfio and 9 others
PMID 42192464WHAT IT FOUND
A single user with a transfemoral amputation completed a powered prosthesis race course in under six minutes after 46 hours of training.
The pilot reported discomfort and needed to compensate during stair climbing and sit-to-stand tasks, despite successful walking.
Key findings
01The participant completed the entire CYBATHLON parkour in under six minutes after 46 hours of training.
02Torque settings during stair ascent were limited to 17 Nm to avoid discomfort at the residual limb, requiring the user to compensate with handrails or hip strategies.
03Manual selection of locomotion modes was used because automatic detection was too complex, which increased cognitive load and risk of human error.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study reports on a single user, so findings cannot be generalized to the wider amputee population. The prosthesis required 46 hours of training and manual mode selection, which is impractical for daily community use. The control logic was tailored to the specific CYBATHLON tasks and may not translate directly to unstructured daily activities. The participant was a K-Level 3 user, which limits applicability to those with higher or lower functional levels.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Federal Public Service Policy and Support (FPS BOSA), and Innoviris. No commercial conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the successful completion of the race course as evidence that this prosthesis is ready for daily clinical use. The system required extensive training, manual mode switching, and caused discomfort that necessitated compensatory strategies, indicating significant barriers to real-world adoption.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →