Our Objective

Our team of undergraduate engineers are currently designing a final, working prototype for Flagstaff Medical Center's Knee Rehabilitation and Goniometer device, or KRAG device for short. We must design an easy to use and setup, easily cleaned, highly adjustable, and safe, secure knee bracing and linear motion system. We must effectively provide the patient and physical therapists with an experience that is comfortable for the patient's post-surgery lower leg and properly allows for active locomotion of the knee joint through its range of motion while providing accurate knee angle measurements.

 

Background

Patients who have recently underwent knee arthroplasty or surgery of any kind require rehabilitation to ensure that the healing process yields proper knee range of motion and movement.
Currently, the rehabilitation process at Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) is guided by physical therapists (PT) that must first stack blankets under the patient's foot to achieve the correct height of the knee joint while the patient is seated — their thigh is parallel to the floor. From there, the PT must slide the the patient's foot in a linear motion across the floor. This process is repeated while the knee's range of motion is measured with a goniometer.

Prototype

Since August of 2017, our team has been working on a functional prototype to meet the requirements for our clients at FMC for a knee rehabilitation device. Ultimately, they need a fixed linear rolling system in which the patient's foot will rest. This platform will securely allow for the patient, with the PT's help, to freely rotate the knee joint, moving it through it's range of motion as the foot drives the linear motion.
Additionally, a digital goniometer will be attached so accurate measurements of the knee angle are recorded. To fit a wide range of patients' dimensions, the foot platform must be height adjustable. This will ensure the patient's upper leg (femur) remains parallel with the floor during the motion, to aid in proper healing of the muscles around the knee joint and accurate knee angle measurements.

Meeting Minutes

Sept. 9, 2017, Sept. 12, 2017, Sept. 19, 2017, Sept. 26, 2017, Oct. 10, 2017, Oct. 24, 2017, Oct. 31, 2017, Jan. 16, 2018, Jan. 23, 2018, Jan. 30, 2018, Feb. 6, 2018, Feb. 13, 2018, Feb. 20, 2018, Feb. 27, 2018, Mar. 6, 2018, Mar. 27, 2018, Apr. 3, 2018

The links above will open a new tab, revealing the week's action items.

Prototype Portfolio

Observe our current prototype.

Base Platform

Aluminum Footprint

Height Adjustment System

Steel Scissor Jacks Adjustable with Turn Knobs

Free Linear Roller System

Parallel Linear Rails & Coupled Bearings

Foot Platform with Assistive Pedals

Rolling Platform with Attachments

Leg Adjustment and Bracing System

Pseudo-Crutch Assembly & Modified Knee Brace

Digital Goniometer

HALO Digital Laser Goniometer

Our Progress

Almost a year in the making.

  • August 2017

    An Idea is Born!

    Our task provided for us by the Flagstaff Medical Center is born! We start contacting our physical therapist clients and gather a list of customer requirements.

  • September/October 2017

    Research, research, research...

    We have organized our customer requirements and convereted them into engineering requirements. With such, we as the engineering team start researching and analyzing what it is we need to build and how it can be built. Ideas are formulated, designs are drawn up and explored, and further anatomical analysis of the knee joint continues as we work with our PT's.

  • November/December 2017

    Proof of Concept and Prototyping

    Our functional prototype is coming together. We have a wooden base, a roller system combined with a foot platform. A height adjustable scissor lift so that varying dimensions of patient's legs can fit properly and comfortably within the device. Additionally, support struts were included to secure the lower leg in place, and nylong straps attached to allow for a wide range of adjustments to fit the patient's lower leg. Nonetheless, we have a digital goniometer, however, we must now figure out how to attach it so that accurate measurements can be obtained. The prototype is coming along, and we are ready to start preparing for the final design building process.

  • January-April 2017

    Final Prototype Manifestation

    [IN PROCESS - PLEASE STANDBY FOR UPDATE]

  • Undergrad. Symposium Day 4/27

Meet Our Team!

Our team of engineers have each assumed separate, but cooperative roles that have led the way for our project's fruition.

Alma Palacios

Documentarian

Grant Borcher

Team Lead

Jackson Reynolds

Client Coordinator

Zihao [Jeremy] Wang

Budget Liaison

Chris Kornowski

Website Designer

Contact Us

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur.