Prosthetic foot recycles energy

Steven H. Collins (Department of Bio-mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology) and Arthur D. Kuo (Departments of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan) have come up with a brand new artificial foot which is capable of recycling energy, thanks to a micro controller within which operates a device in the foot itself, helping store energy from the down step followed by releasing it on the up step in order to mimic the natural movement of a human ankle. Further research into this medical wonder points to an increase in net metabolic energy expenditure by 23% compared to normal walking when using a regular artificial foot, but this new energy recycling ankle lowers that amount to 14%.