Dept. of Rehabilitation Equipment, Research Institute,
National Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled,
Tokorozawa City, Saitama Pref., JAPAN
A mechanical endurance tester has been developed for checking the durability of artificial feet and ankle joints. The new machine is expected to provide useful information for the standardization and development of new artificial feet. The tester is featured by its ability to simulate walking patterns.
The testing machine has a seesaw-like arm that holds each testpiece. An artificial foot is tested using a weight as heavy as the average human weight. The test foot is moved up and down to simulate the walking motion. A variety of test modes are available. Tester can be connected to standard computer terminal for monitoring on display the current load, foot position and angle, and recording test data in floppy disks. All operations are driven by electric motors to minimize vibration and noise. Small size is another feature of the new machine. The tester is applicable to repeated walking tests specified in Section T9212 "Artificial Feet and Ankle Joints" of the Japanese Industrial Standards.