{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/52127"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/52127","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Natural crutch","abstract":"The proposed “natural crutch” provides ambulation assistance without the problems associated with arm-supported crutches. The new crutch has an exoskeleton structure which surrounds the disabled leg and carries the user's body weight while walking and standing. The load is transferred from the exoskeleton to the trunk of the body through a harness which lifts the pelvis on the impaired side. The intention is to simulate the internal skeleton’s natural load distribution while compensating for the impairment. The crutch design is presented as a unique concept with an outlined proposal for a marketable prototype. Results of a full scale simulator test are used to determine areas requiring further development. All aspects of design attempt to include both engineering and industrial design perspectives.","abstract_html":"The proposed “natural crutch” provides ambulation assistance without the problems associated with arm-supported crutches. The new crutch has an exoskeleton structure which surrounds the disabled leg and carries the user's body weight while walking and standing. The load is transferred from the exoskeleton to the trunk of the body through a harness which lifts the pelvis on the impaired side. The intention is to simulate the internal skeleton’s natural load distribution while compensating for the impairment. The crutch design is presented as a unique concept with an outlined proposal for a marketable prototype. Results of a full scale simulator test are used to determine areas requiring further development. All aspects of design attempt to include both engineering and industrial design perspectives.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Clark, Laura L."],"institution":"Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Schubert, Robert P."],"committee_members":["Kemmerling, Paul T. Jr.","Wolstad, J. C."],"year":1993,"date_issued":"1993","date_published":"1993","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:32Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en_US"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52127","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Schubert, Robert P."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Kemmerling, Paul T. Jr.","Wolstad, J. C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Clark, Laura L."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2015-05-08T19:39:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-05-08T19:39:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1993"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.dcmitype","label":"Dc Type Dcmitype","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_US"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52127"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The proposed “natural crutch” provides ambulation assistance without the problems associated with arm-supported crutches. The new crutch has an exoskeleton structure which surrounds the disabled leg and carries the user's body weight while walking and standing. The load is transferred from the exoskeleton to the trunk of the body through a harness which lifts the pelvis on the impaired side. The intention is to simulate the internal skeleton’s natural load distribution while compensating for the impairment. The crutch design is presented as a unique concept with an outlined proposal for a marketable prototype. Results of a full scale simulator test are used to determine areas requiring further development. All aspects of design attempt to include both engineering and industrial design perspectives."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Natural crutch"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Schubert, Robert P."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Kemmerling, Paul T. Jr.","Wolstad, J. C."],"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["Clark, Laura L."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2015-05-08T19:39:12Z"],"dc:date.available":["2015-05-08T19:39:12Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1993"],"dc:description.abstract":["The proposed “natural crutch” provides ambulation assistance without the problems associated with arm-supported crutches. The new crutch has an exoskeleton structure which surrounds the disabled leg and carries the user's body weight while walking and standing. The load is transferred from the exoskeleton to the trunk of the body through a harness which lifts the pelvis on the impaired side. The intention is to simulate the internal skeleton’s natural load distribution while compensating for the impairment. The crutch design is presented as a unique concept with an outlined proposal for a marketable prototype. Results of a full scale simulator test are used to determine areas requiring further development. All aspects of design attempt to include both engineering and industrial design perspectives."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52127"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:title":["Natural crutch"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.dcmitype":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Architecture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:32Z"}