TacLeg: A Novel Visuotactile Device for Below-Knee Leg Prostheses

Abstract

The absence of tactile sensing significantly impacts the quality of life for individuals with limb loss. While prosthetic legs are invaluable tools for lower-limb amputees, the lack of tactile feedback presents a substantial limitation. This letter introduces a novel design and technical implementation for a sensory below-knee prosthetic leg, named TacLeg, specifically targeting leg prostheses for lower-limb amputees. Through simulation and experimental investigation, the proposed system demonstrates robust tactile sensing capabilities upon contact with the environment. These preliminary results highlight the functionality of the TacLeg device, showcasing its integration of soft elastomers and vision-based sensing to provide efficiently tactile feedback, while also ensuring safety and durability. These features underscore its potential applications in advanced tactile prosthetic devices, particularly those aimed at functionally replacing natural limbs.