Project Grant R43HD114307

This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), will fund the development of a novel passive, compliant ankle prosthetic device called the APTO-Ankle. The $293,514 award to Orthocare Innovations LLC, a prosthetic device company, will support the design, prototyping, bench testing, and clinical evaluation of this unpowered ankle prosthesis. The goal is to create a low-cost, lightweight ankle that provides energy storage and return during gait, improving stability and ambulation for individuals with transtibial limb loss, without the complexity of microprocessor-controlled components. Key deliverables include three prototype APTO-Ankles, performance testing, and proof-of-concept clinical evaluation. If successful, this technology has the potential to enhance mobility and quality of life for K2 and K3 prosthetic users.