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CSUN Smart Prosthetics 2024-2025 8th Cohort
As part of CSUN’s Smart Prosthetics team, I headed the design of the prosthetic arm’s palm, focusing on creating a structurally efficient, biomimetic solution that supports precise hand articulation. The project aimed to develop a functional, below-the-shoulder prosthetic arm with intuitive foot-based gesture control and integrated haptic feedback to improve user experience, particularly for transhumeral amputees who often reject current devices due to poor usability.
My role centered on engineering a palm capable of housing two high-torque servos per digit while maintaining compactness, durability, and anatomical realism. I used MSLA 3D printing to achieve the fine detail necessary for tendon routing and sensor integration, and gyroidal infill TPU printed on an FDM printer to create a deformable front palm section. This biomimetic approach contributes directly to the arm’s dexterity and adaptability, supporting the team’s broader mission of restoring functional independence through thoughtful, user-driven design.
In addition to leading the palm design, I supported other key areas of the prosthetic development process. I assisted in the fabrication of carbon fiber composite shells for the forearm and bicep, ensuring proper layup techniques and curing protocols were followed for structural integrity. I also handled the slicing, printing, post-processing, and UV curing of MSLA resin prints. Beyond hands-on fabrication, I provided technical mentorship to team members in CAD modeling strategies, model slicing for additive manufacturing, soldering techniques, and safe practices for using personal protective equipment (PPE) in the lab environment.
Full assembly of the PROMETHEUS Arm.
Final prototype of the HERCULES hand at the project's conclusion.
A 3D scan (STL file) of a human arm was used as the starting point for creation of the palm; the wrist, fingers, and thumb were removed.
Cross sections were taken every 10cm, creating a 2D outline to later be connected using the loft feature in Autodesk Fusion.
Once lofted, the resulting solid was sectioned into metacarpals and a front palm section, to be further modeled to fit the actuation servos and fingers.
The completed palm, not shown is the TPU front section.
MSLA Printing of distal and proximal finger components before post-processing.
MSLA printed palm sections before curing.
Test prints of the TPU palm to determine the best infill pattern to mimic the deformation of a real human palm.
Carbon fiber upper arm and forearm shells laid up, curing under vacuum.
Completed carbon fiber forearm shells demolded.
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