STIIX Prosthetic Leg Project: Engineering Hope, One Limb at a Time
In the STIIX Prosthetic Leg Project, students step into the shoes (or sockets) of biomedical engineers working in STIIX-Ville to help a resident who has lost part of her leg. Their challenge: to design and build a semi-functional, below-knee prosthetic leg that supports movement, balance, and the user’s needs—all while applying core principles of biomechanics and human-centered design.
The unit walks through the full engineering design process: beginning with five scaffolded instructional videos (Introduction, Academic Concepts, How-To, Testing & Evaluation, and a Career / Industry Spotlight), students learn about muscle-skeletal mechanics, joint motion, weight distribution, and load-bearing for prosthetics. They sketch their ideas, prototype with STIIX components, and test biomechanics, range of motion, and stability.
During testing, learners collect data on performance, adjust their designs based on user-centered feedback, and refine structural or mechanical features. This iterative cycle teaches them that empathy and engineering go hand in hand: effective prosthetics must be functional and comfortable. They examine trade-offs such as strength vs. weight, rigidity vs. flexibility, and cost vs. usability.
Teachers are fully supported with a detailed lesson plan, build-logs, student worksheets, reflection prompts, and alignment to NGSS engineering / life-science practices. Through this project, students not only gain engineering skills — they also develop a deeper appreciation for accessibility, inclusion, and the role of technology in improving lives.
Bring structure and excitement to hands-on learning with STIIX-Ville — your digital hub for project guides, assessments, and student progress tracking.
What’s Included in the Box:
- STIIX structural building sticks & connectors
- Prosthetic “socket” or lower-leg scaffold components
- Joint / hinge components (for knee movement)
- Weight-distribution modules (mass elements)
- Load-bearing platform or foot component
- Build-log & design-iteration worksheets
- Testing & evaluation guide (for movement, stability, balance)
- Reflection prompts & presentation templates
- Instructional video series (5 modules: Intro, Academic, How-To, Testing, Spotlight)
- Teacher slide deck + detailed lesson plan
