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Shadow Leg v2 - by David Buckley August 2016

In 2005 I was asked by the Shadow Robot Company to make a robot leg as part of a contract from North Carolina A & T University and my understanding is that it was to be used at North Carolina A & T University in a medical research program which would investigate myoelectric control of powered prosthetic legs.
First I made a prototype which after constructing the final version hung in my workshop for the next decade. I started to show it at various Maker Faires then in 2016 decided to make it walk like a one legged man in a Zimmer Frame.

The leg was taken apart, pieces sealed and painted and polished, the picture chain replaced by bicycle chain, feedback pots and pulleys and belts fitted, support frame made and pneumatic valves and regulators fitted, turn motor fitted, and electronic control boards fitted.

Being ill for a few years didn't help the time frame but now (2021) it is mechanically complete with low level controller boards fitted and a start has been made on the software.

The Leg is still powered by fourteen McKibben Muscles, some made by Shadow and some by myself and has two on-board air pressure regulators and twenty-four pneumatic valves. It has one servo controlled electric motor to turn the leg relative to the red supports to enable it to change direction and is able to raise itself on its toe so it can move the red supports and walk.

The photos on the prototype page show the range of motion and the video on the '2005 Shadow Leg' page shows the motion obtainable.

Method of Turning