The use of active prostheses for lower limb replacement brings new challenges like power optimization, energyefficiencyandautonomy. Theuseofseriesandparallel elasticity is often explored to reduce the necessary motor power but this does not necessarily have a positive influenceontheenergyconsumptionoftheprosthesis.Thispaper presents the experiments performed with the variable compliance actuator used in an active ankle prosthesis and the electromechanical model of this actuator. The results show that the measurements can be matched using the model, and thismodelcanthusbeusedtooptimizetheenergyefficiency oftheactuator.Simulationsshowthattheelectricalefficiency can be increased by 10% compared to parameters selected by an optimization method that only takes mechanical properties into account.

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• Energetic analysis and optimization of a MACCEPA actuator in an ankle prosthesis