Structural battery integration for prosthetic devices

A method of manufacturing a prosthetic device, the method comprising:

• pretreating a first carbon fiber mat and a second carbon fiber mat to remove sizing;
• electrodepositing anode material onto the first carbon fiber mat to form an anode;
• depositing cathode material onto the second carbon fiber mat to form a cathode;
• applying a ceramic separator coating onto the anode and the cathode;
• stacking the first and second carbon fiber mats with the ceramic separator positioned therebetween;
• and
• forming the stacked first and second carbon fiber mats into an outer shell of the prosthetic device.

A carbon fiber-based structural battery for a prosthetic device, the structural battery comprising:

• a first carbon fiber mat having anode material patches at spaced locations thereon;
• a second carbon fiber mat having cathode material patches at spaced locations thereon;
• a ceramic separator positioned between the first and second carbon fiber mats;
• and
• a filler material in spaces between the anode material patches and the cathode material patches,
• wherein the structural battery is configured to form at least a portion of an outer shell of the prosthetic device and to provide both mechanical structural support and electrical power for the prosthetic device.