Biomechanics, Actuation, and Control Strategies of Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Exoskeletons
A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Actuators for Medical Instruments".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 2153
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mechanical design; robotics; control; FEA and bone fracture analysis
Interests: automation; sustainable systems; smart systems; artificial intelligence (AI); digitalization in industry; augmented and virtual reality
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Interests: additive manufacturing; metal additive manufacturing; material characterization; surface treatments; laser material processing
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Actuators, a paragon of scholarly excellence in biomechanics, human gait analysis, and assistive technologies, is pleased to announce a call for papers for our esteemed Special Issue on "Biomechanics, Actuation, and Control Strategies of Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Exoskeletons." Recognized for its unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering innovation, Actuators invites distinguished scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute their cutting-edge research and insights to this seminal discourse.
This Special Issue seeks to explore the multifaceted aspects of biomechanics, actuation, and control strategies in the domain of prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeletons. We invite submissions that elucidate novel methodologies, advancements in materials and technologies, clinical applications, and theoretical frameworks pertaining to the design, development, and optimization of assistive devices.
Authors are encouraged to submit original research articles, reviews, case studies, and perspectives that push the boundaries of current understanding and offer transformative contributions to the field. Each submission will undergo a rigorous peer-review process conducted by renowned experts in the field, ensuring the highest standards of academic rigor and relevance to this Special Issue’s theme.
Join us in shaping the future of assistive technology and enhancing the quality of life for individuals with mobility impairments through groundbreaking research and innovation. Submit your manuscript today and become a part of this prestigious scholarly endeavor.
Dr. Mahdy Eslamy
Dr. Geetika Aggarwal
Dr. Jinoop Arackal Narayanan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biomechanics
- actuation
- control strategies
- prosthetics
- orthotics
- exoskeletons
- assistive devices
- rehabilitation engineering
- human–machine interaction
- wearable robotics
- bio-inspired robotics
- gait analysis
- neural interfaces
- muscle synergies
- kinematics and dynamics
- rehabilitation robotics
- human motor control
- sensor technologies
- artificial intelligence
- wearable sensors
- biomedical engineering
- human–computer interaction
- haptic feedback
- electromyography (EMG)
- assistive technology
- lower limb prosthetics
- upper limb prosthetics
- neuromuscular control
- assistive robotics
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Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Changes of ankle motion and ground reaction force using Elastic Neutral AFO in neurological patients with inverted foot during gait
Authors: Du-Jin Park; Young-In Hwang
Affiliation: Associate Professor
Abstract: Many stroke patients develop ankle deformities due to neurological or non-neurological factors, resulting in abnormal gait patterns. While Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to address these issues, few are specifically designed for ankle varus. The Elastic Neutral Ankle-Foot Orthosis (EN-AFO) was developed for this purpose. This study aimed to analyze changes in kinematic and kinetic gait data in stroke patients with ankle varus, comparing those walking with and without EN-AFO in both AFO and No-AFO groups. Initially, 30 stroke patients with ankle varus were screened; after exclusions, 17 were included in the final analysis. In the No-AFO group, EN-AFO significantly improved maximal ankle inversion on the affected side during the swing phase (p < 0.05). In the AFO group, EN-AFO led to significant improvement in maximal ankle inversion on the less-affected side during the swing phase (p < 0.05). Ground reaction force on the affected side of the AFO group significantly increased at both the forefoot and hindfoot with EN-AFO (p < 0.05). Conversely, maximal and minimal thoracic axial rotation on the affected side improved significantly in the No-AFO group compared to the AFO group with EN-AFO during both the stance and swing phases (p < 0.05). Additionally, maximal and minimal thoracic axial rotation on the less-affected side during the swing phase improved significantly in the No-AFO group. These findings suggest that EN-AFO may effectively improve gait in stroke patients with ankle varus in the No-AFO group.
