Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Amos G Winter, V

Jason Z Fischman

Joshua Eric Siegel

Athena Yeh Huang

Victor Prost

Kathryn Michelle Olesnavage

Daniel Scott Dorsch

Natasha Catherine Wright

Sahil Rajesh Shah

Soraya Honarparvar

Jacob M Jurewicz

Hannah M Varner

Young Suk Jo

Patricia Yen

Chad L Jacoby

Guillermo Pamanes Castillo

Venkata N M Arelekatti

Youngjun Joh

An electrodialysis desalination device includes a first electrode including a first-stage side; a second electrode including a first-stage side; and a first stage between the first-stage side of the first electrode and the first-stage side of the second electrode. The first stage includes at least one first-stage cell pair positioned between the first-stage side of the first electrode and the first-stage side of the second electrode, and each cell pair includes a pair of first-stage selectively permeable ion-exchange membranes with alternating selectivity that define first-stage channels on opposite sides of each first-stage membrane for respective flows of a first-stage diluate stream and a first-stage concentrate stream. A single pump is configured to pump the diluate streams and the concentrate streams through the first stage.

Simplified architecture for desalination via electrodialysis

A compliant prosthetic foot is designed and fabricated by combining a compliant mechanism optimization technique with a calculation of low leg trajectory error under a reference loading condition. The compliant mechanism optimization technique includes a set of determinants for the compliant prosthetic foot. An optimized set of determinants of the compliant prosthetic foot is formed that minimizes the lower leg trajectory error relative to a target kinematic data set. The compliant prosthetic foot is then fabricated in conformance with the optimized set of determinants.

Method for design and manufacture of compliant prosthetic foot

A passive prosthetic foot enables a below-knee amputee to walk with near able-body walking motions. The prosthetic foot includes a resilient heel that enables the heel to strike a walking surface more softly than in the prior art and more accurately transition the leg from swing phase to stance phase. The prosthetic foot is modeled generally as a wide B&#xe9;zier curve, and the foot is characterized according to a set of at least 12 variables, including h, C1d, C2x, C2y, C2d, C3x, C3y, C3d, C4x, C4d, C5d and C6d, where C3y is heel size, C4x is heel geometry and C6d is curve intersection location. The variables are optimized to minimize a difference between a normal lower leg trajectory during gait and a modeled trajectory that includes the prosthetic foot.

Shape optimization for prosthetic feet

A high performance, low-cost passive prosthetic knee includes one or more modules to enable able-bodied gait by transfemoral amputees to improve metabolic efficiency and reduce stigma from conspicuous abnormal gaits. A stance stability module includes a latch with a virtual lock axis that automatically locks and unlocks. An early stance flexion module enables able-bodied gait during stance. Hydraulic fluid dampers ensure reliable swing phase control. A swing extension energy storage module stores and returns energy as the knee locks and unlocks, respectively. These modules may be used together, in any combination, or individually.

Locking and damping mechanism for a prosthetic knee joint

Described are improved electrodialysis (ED) desalination systems and methods comprising voltage regulation and/or improved stack geometries. The systems and methods provide product water concentrations suitable for drinking (having a total dissolved solids concentration of less than 500 mg/L or 500 ppm) and have a high product recovery ratio.

Electrodialysis systems and methods for desalination

An apparatus for a clutchless manual transmission includes a transmission, a drive shaft, and a motor shaft. The transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft, and an intermediate gear. The input shaft is coupled to an engine shaft to receive power and the output shaft is coupled to the drive shaft to transmit power to a wheel of a vehicle. The input shaft and output shaft are coupled by a plurality of input and output shaft gears. A first synchronizer is coupled to the output shaft to selectively engage a particular output shaft gear, adjusting the speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft. The motor shaft receives power from a motor and includes a second synchronizer to selectively engage the engine shaft to the drive shaft via the motor shaft. The apparatus can be used to reduce acceleration and turbo lag in hybrid and high-performance vehicles.

Clutchless shifting of a manual transmission

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Amos G Winter, V