Hybrid terrain-adaptive lower-extremity systems

This invention describes a prosthetic leg and foot system designed to automatically adjust itself to different walking conditions. It works by detecting the type of terrain being walked on and the activity being performed, then dynamically changing how the prosthetic behaves. The claims narrow this to a system that specifically analyzes the forces on the leg during a step, from heel strike to flat foot, and then adjusts the stiffness of the ankle joint to reduce or minimize those forces.