After severe injuries, the journey back to everyday life often begins with very small but important steps.
This is the story of our student veteran, who sustained a blast injury to his lower limb and underwent a long period of treatment and rehabilitation.
One of the first stages involved the placement of an Ilizarov apparatus. Later, doctors recommended gradually increasing weight-bearing on the injured limb to help restore muscle strength.
However, a problem arose: the injured leg was shorter than the healthy one, while standard orthoses could not provide the necessary correction and functionality.
An individualized solution was needed.
That was when our engineering team stepped in. Junior Engineer Anton Kucherenko began developing a device adapted to the veteran’s specific anatomy and stage of rehabilitation.
We called the first version of the device a “foot support.”
This was followed by a series of tests and design iterations: we adjusted the height, shape, and structure, analyzed the results, and adapted the device to the user’s needs.
The process included:
→ analyzing the anatomy and needs of the individual user
→ designing a customized solution
→ manufacturing test prototypes
→ testing the device during rehabilitation
→ analyzing the results and making further improvements
→ adapting the design in accordance with doctors’ recommendations
Every stage of development took into account the veteran’s specific stage of rehabilitation and was carried out in consultation with medical professionals.
As a result, the device helped provide the necessary controlled weight-bearing on the limb, supported muscle recovery, and became one of the steps on the path to independent walking.
For us, this project demonstrates how the needs of a specific person can become the foundation for an engineering solution.
The device itself is not the ultimate goal. It is a tool that makes it possible to adapt the rehabilitation process to a person’s specific anatomy, needs, and capabilities.
Most importantly, we do more than simply manufacture a device. We complete the entire development cycle—from communicating with the user and defining the requirements to design, prototyping, testing, and further improvement.
This case resulted in more than a single finished device. It helped us better understand similar rehabilitation challenges and develop an approach that can be adapted for other users in the future.
Because sometimes the journey back to independent movement begins with one small but very important step.
Junior Engineer — Anton Kucherenko
Biomedical / Mechanical Engineering
Research prototypes are developed in collaboration with engineers and with medical professionals providing consultative support.
ХэштегBiomedicalEngineering ХэштегRehabilitationEngineering ХэштегAssistiveTechnology
