730063Sarcomere Inspired Linear ActuatorClosedLegacy RDA Grant for R&DInnovate UKDesigning an electrical actuator that can truly match the power/weight ratio needed . for an 'active' ankle or knee prosthesis presents significant technical challenges and is the driver for this research project. The new actuator must provide a cost-effective, highly compact and more powerful unit able to fit within the volume of the absent limb sections and must offer significantly improved user 'controllability' over devices currently on the market, oelivering performance through a user interface compatible with normal human expectation and therefore be more intuitive and easier to control. Elumotion's target is that actuator components will be electrically controlled with no mechanical engagement. This should permit body generated free-swing of the· prosthetic limb, making use, whenever possible, of 'passive dynamics' so enabling conservation of portable power supplies and preservation of the wearers natural walking gait. Further advantages are anticipated from noise-free operation, robustness to contaminant ingress and the potential for long duty cycles due to high efficiencies and the absence of wearing surfaces. The new actuator is expected to be attractive as a replacement for existing actuators in robotic, industrial, medical, automotive and aerospace applications - offering a significantly more controllable and more reliable component. In particular being able to control the actuator in a shock absorbing mode may be particularly attractive to industrial automation and process control, where manufacturing downtime can occur from assemblies that collide and fail as they do not possess a shock absorbing feature.