Brown University Prosthetic Knee Group

Brown University Prosthetic Knee Group

We are a group of engineers and designers from Brown University and RISD who are aiming to create an affordable prosthetic knee for amputees in developing countries.

What inspired you to make this project?:
We were inspired to build our prosthetic knee by listening to stories of Vietnamese amputees whose daily lives were completely turned upside down due to their disability. There is a lack of consideration to accessibility in Vietnam despite the fact that a significant portion of the Vietnamese population (~5%) are amputees. We have heard amputee stories ranging from adults who could no longer provide for their families to children who stopped their education because they could not get to school every day. Current prostheses that are affordable to the Vietnamese population are either outdated or lack in function. The cost of an effective prosthesis is often more than what amputees in Vietnam make in a year. Given that the knee is usually the most expensive part of a prosthetic leg, we were inspired to create a prosthetic knee that maximizes function and affordability. We are driven to help amputees regain independence and daily functioning.