Aloft | Figure Skating Prosthetic

In a few weeks the world will be fixated on the Summer Olympics in London. Then a few days after the Paralympics will being their competitions. For years, all of these athletes and their trainers have been preparing for these games. Technology is also developed between Olympics to improve athletic performance. San Francisco industrial designer Yanin Alexa Kramsky has proposed a new prosthetic that would create a new event for the Paralympics. Aloft is a below the knee figure skating prosthetic concept.

A New Event
Currently figure skating is not part of the Paralympics but that could change if Kramsky’s Aloft come to fruition. Aloft combines a lower leg prosthetic with a figure skating blade into one piece. The leg portion of Aloft is sleek in shape and would function like other lower leg prosthetics. Below the leg section is the “ankle” which connects to the “foot”. The ankle would have to give flexibility while still providing stability. Two bands make up the foot portion. This adds some flex to the foot while also making the prosthetic lighter in weight. Finally the figure skating blade is attached to the sole of the foot.

Details and Conclusion
Aloft is a beautiful looking concept that would provide another event for athletes to participate in. Although there are a lot of details that would need to be worked out before a finished product could be made available. Such as creating a stable leg to prosthetic connection. Having the ability to adjust ankle tension would also be helpful. Kramsky mentions that this is a concept for the 2020 Paralympics but that is a Summer Olympics year. He probably meant the 2018 or 2022 Winter Olympics. That being said, to see more of Yanin Alexa Kramsky’s portfolio and resume, visit his website www.yanink.com or this website.