UNDIP, Semarang (December 30, 2025) – Over the past three years, researchers from Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), Poltekkes Kemenkes Surakarta, and Mahidol University, Thailand, have established a collaboration to improve the quality of Indonesian prosthetic foot products.
Initial experiments identified several issues with existing Indonesian prosthetic feet, including faster rubber wear, rubber breakage around the toe, and poor resistance to rain. These challenges motivated a lecturer from the Orthotics and Prosthetics Department of Poltekkes Kemenkes Surakarta, Agus Nugroho, to conduct research on the Development and Clinical Testing of Solid Ankle Cushion Heel (SACH Foot) for Low- and Middle-Income Countries at Mahidol University.
The study developed a Solid Ankle Cushion Heel (SACH) foot prosthesis using a polymer-based keel encased in commercial rubber. The goal was to create a prosthetic foot that is more durable and more comfortable for below-knee amputee patients.
The design process, finite element analysis simulations, and prototyping of the new prosthetic foot design were carried out in collaboration with the Center of Excellence for Science and Technology (PUIPT) Health Technology CBIOM3S UNDIP under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Rifky Ismail. As a result, a lighter and more comfortable prosthetic foot prototype was successfully produced.
For testing, the new prosthetic foot was fitted to 13 patients with below-knee amputations, who reported noticeable improvements during use. Users experienced lighter steps, greater comfort, and lower energy consumption. Agus Nugroho presented this research in a dissertation. It was examined at the Sirindhorn School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (SSPO), Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, on December 25, 2025.
The research supervisors were Dr. Kazuhiko Sasaki (Mahidol University, Thailand), Dr. Muhammad Nouman (Mahidol University, Thailand), and Prof. Dr. Rifky Ismail (Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia). Invited external examiners included Dr. Gary Guerra from St. Mary’s University, USA, and Prof. Surapong Chatpun from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.
The collaborative prosthetic foot developed through the partnership between UNDIP, Poltekkes Kemenkes Surakarta, and Mahidol University, Thailand, will be further developed into a commercial product to be marketed across ASEAN in the future. (Public Communication/UNDIP/Rifky Ismail)
