Foot Sensor Tester
I was responsible for the mechanical design of a test stand that would allow the medical team at Ekso to check the reliability of their foot sensors on various surfaces and inclines. I used a pneumatic cylinder to mimic the stepping motion and a pneumatic rotary actuator to simulate turning. I also included a load cell to compare actual load readings with the foot sensor readings.
Because the machine had to last tens of millions of cycles, I used steel for all of the structural components and linear plane bearings instead of linear ball bearings because they stand up to impact loading. I mounted the two stompers in an aluminum and polycarbonate cage to protect from any failures.