RegeneBrace

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  Torsion Joint Mechanism

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  Complete Assembly

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  Exploded View

Inspiration

We wanted to design a device that can aid in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from muscle atrophy, a common consequence of extended incapacitation, injury, or extreme sedentary lifestyle. Essentially, muscle atrophy is a set of symptoms where the muscles start to deteriorate, decreasing mobility and quality of life, and even increasing morbidity and mortality in severe cases. What we sought to do was create a solution that would lend itself to personalized, adjustable, gradual rehabilitation, through simultaneous support of the joint and adjustable resistance-based exercise of a localized joint.

What it does

Our design consists of two main components: the compressive sleeve and the exercise brace. The compressive sleeve offers support of the knee/elbow joint, which is similar to many standard compressive sleeves on the market. The sleeve also serves a dual purpose, by acting as a comfortable liner for the exercise brace. This exercise brace is fitted with a resistance band, as well as the key component of the device: a multimodal torsional spring joint. The design of this joint allows the RegeneBrace to be swapped between extension and flexion modes, and also allows for replacement of springs of different spring constants, facilitating gradually incrementing exercise.

How I built it

Limited by COVID-19 and lack of tools at home, our team mainly designed and built this project using SolidWorks CAD, along with SolidWorks FEA to verify our designs/prototypes.

Challenges I ran into

We encountered some technical difficulties sharing updated CAD, as well as some disagreements when it came to the specific design of our brace. We had to learn to make the best of our remote working environment to efficiently collaborate on pushing out our final prototype.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm really proud of how the team gelled and worked together through the COVID-induced difficulties, and how we quickly came up with a product that can help solve the real-world problem of muscle atrophy recovery.

What I learned

I learned how to work remotely, how to consider manufacturing concerns during design, and honed my CAD skills.

What's next for RegeneBrace

Once COVID-19 is over, we'd like to build a physical prototype and start testing with afflicted patients.