Engineering student supports research for lower-limb amputees

For Shengwei Kang (he/him), getting involved in research was a brand-new experience. Couple that with working in an area of research entirely out of his field of study, and he had no idea of what to expect.

“I didn’t know much about research, it was all new to me,” said Shengwei, who is in his last year of Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) program. “My studies have been focused on the energy stream, in fluid dynamics, so working in robotics was not something I ever thought about.”

Shengwei was first introduced to this research opportunity by Dr. Nadim Arafa, one of his professors in the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, and the principal investigator on a collaborative research project between Generator at Sheridan’s Centre for Intelligent Manufacturing and industry partner ProsFit. The robotic gait simulator project explores reducing the number of lower‑limb prosthetics abandoned by amputees due to discomfort.

As a student researcher with the Centre, Shengwei’s work has supported the enhancement of prosthetic design and fit by gathering data from robotic simulations, mimicking human movements to assess different pressure points like weight.

“It’s been an eye-opening experience for me and has completely changed my mind about getting involved in research.”

Shengwei’s experience working on the research project gave him the opportunity to learn and develop real-world skills in a hands-on environment, preparing him for the workforce. He learned how to adapt quickly to an unfamiliar environment, how to test and perform in a lab environment, and develop creative problem-solving and technical communications skills.

“It’s been an eye-opening experience for me and has completely changed my mind about getting involved in research,” said Shengwei. “Having this opportunity at Sheridan has taught me to deal with challenges and find solutions. I’ve learned so much and can now see myself working in robotics after graduation.”

Interested in learning more about how to get involved as a student in research, innovation and entrepreneurship at Sheridan? Visit sheridancollege.ca/generator.

Learn more about Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) program.