Researchers from Italy have unveiled a cutting-edge prosthetic foot that can adapt to uneven surfaces. It reproduces the natural movements of the bones when walking on different types of surface. The development is called SoftFoot Pro. The prosthesis allows the foot to flex and stretch, providing stability on uneven or sloping surfaces. SoftFoot Pro adapts to all conditions, minimizing discomfort and providing a more natural movement. Its construction consists of 5 parallel chains connected to a titanium heel. The front segments of each chain mimic the movement of the toe phalanges, while the rear segments reproduce the movement of the metatarsal bones. The arch mechanism allows SoftFoot Pro to store energy by flexing the toes at the end of each step, and then release that energy when the foot leaves the ground to take the next step forward. When the prosthesis hits the ground, its flexible design allows it to absorb 10% to 50% of the impact energy. The prosthesis weighs 450 g and can withstand a load of up to 100 kg. #SoftFootPro has already passed successful clinical trials on volunteers with amputees. Participants were able to easily overcome irregularities and slopes, squat and get up. The authors of the project believe that in the future such prostheses can be used not only in #medicine, but also in #robotics.