While active prosthetics have been advancing at a rapid pace, we always felt that much of the focus was placed on making the prosthetic function like the human body. However, the question of how to make it feel like a natural part of your own body remained largely unanswered.
That’s why we were excited when Össur reached out to us with a request to help develop a soft exterior cover for their new generation of active knee prostheses. The perfect opportunity to address that very challenge and enhance the user experience in a meaningful way.
Designed to feel right
Selecting the right material was key to creating a prosthetic cover that feels natural while remaining durable and practical for everyday use. Taking inspiration from materials commonly used in the shoe industry, we adapted a soft, high-performance foam material to maximize comfort—not just in shape, look, and touch, but even in sound—while ensuring efficient production.
To achieve the perfect balance, we visited the factory line to carefully calibrate the material’s density, ensuring it mimics the feel of a natural leg. This helped to strike the right harmony between anatomical accuracy and a sleek, modern prosthetic aesthetic—avoiding the uncanny valley effect. Additionally, the innovative production process allowed us to seamlessly integrate a magnetic closure system, keeping the sleeve securely in place while maintaining a clean, minimal design.
Smart sizing: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Designing a prosthetic cover that is both functional and comfortable requires careful consideration of both ergonomics and product architecture. The challenge lies in balancing the constraints of human proportions with the technical needs of the device. To tackle this challenge, we focused on studying key postures and the anatomical position of joints.
Through this ergonomic study, we developed an a smart sizing system. This system combines pre-made sizes with the option to be cut to length by a clinical professional, offering users a tailored fit. The result is a standardized size chart that can adapt to all individuals and is always compatibility with their fully customized prostheses.
