Mohammadmahdi Karimi – Phd student in Engineering
Mohammadmahdi earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the Islamic Azad University in Tehran, Iran, in 2015 and 2019, respectively. Following his studies, he gained professional experience as a biomedical engineer, focusing on signal processing, sensor design, system modeling, and the evaluation of medical devices in clinical environments. He later joined the University of Iceland, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Bioengineering within the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. His research is conducted in collaboration with Össur and the University of Iceland, focusing on the design and development of tactile sensory feedback systems to enhance control and perception in bionic prosthetic limbs.
Project information
— Researcher: Mohammadmahdi Karimi (PhD Student)
— Project Title: Design and Development of Sensory Feedback System for Bionic Prosthetic Knee-Ankle
— Funding: Rannís Technical Development Fund [Grant Number: 2410471-051]
— Collaborative Partners: Össur Ehf., University of Iceland
— Timeline: April 2024 – March 2027 (Ongoing)
— Purpose: This doctoral research focuses on developing a sensory feedback system for computer-controlled prosthetic knees and ankles to enhance user perception, control, and safety. The study aims to bridge the gap between engineering innovation and user-centered design by creating tactile wearable systems that restore intuitive sensory feedback for lower-limb amputees, ultimately improving mobility, comfort, and quality of life.
— Research Questions: How do encoding strategies, actuator types, vibration intensities, and spatial arrangements affect feedback interpretation and user comfort? What sensory information should be conveyed through tactile feedback to enhance prosthetic control and user confidence? How can tactile feedback mechanisms be optimized to improve limb position and movement perception? What design characteristics contribute most to wearable comfort, intuitiveness, and usability?
— Methodology: The project follows an iterative research and development approach consisting of three prototype cycles. Each cycle involves design, construction, and integrating findings from subject testing into successive refinements. Tactile encoding methods, actuator configurations, and feedback delivery patterns will be developed and validated through laboratory assessments. Data will be analyzed using both qualitative user feedback and quantitative performance metrics to ensure user-guided optimization of the system.