Prosthetics for Children: New Funding Boosts Lower Limb Research
- A new research initiative aims to make high-performance prosthetic limbs more affordable, accessible, and specifically designed for the needs of active children.
- First, investigators will identify the factors that influence a child's motivation to participate in physical activity and predict the resulting demands placed on their prosthetic devices.
- second, the team will quantify how a child's body measurements (anthropometry) and specific movements impact the mechanical properties of prostheses designed for running.
Advancing Prosthetic Limb Technology for Active Children
Table of Contents
Published October 7, 2025
Improving Access and Performance
A new research initiative aims to make high-performance prosthetic limbs more affordable, accessible, and specifically designed for the needs of active children. The project, led by Quentin Sanders, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering at the College of engineering and Computing, seeks to overcome current limitations in pediatric prosthetic design.
Key Research Objectives
The research is structured around three core objectives. First, investigators will identify the factors that influence a child’s motivation to participate in physical activity and predict the resulting demands placed on their prosthetic devices.
second, the team will quantify how a child’s body measurements (anthropometry) and specific movements impact the mechanical properties of prostheses designed for running. This will allow for more customized and effective designs.
the research will compare the performance of prostheses created using continuous fiber 3D printing technology with those made using conventional laminate methods, evaluating both static and dynamic behavior under various load conditions.
Funding and Timeline
The National Science Foundation has awarded $502,222 to support this research,which began in September 2025 and is scheduled to conclude in late August 2028. This funding will enable a comprehensive inquiry into the design and fabrication of next-generation prosthetic limbs for children with lower extremity amputations.