Team 9

Optimizing Volume and Temperature Control for Lower Limb Prosthetics

Team Members:

Tyler Billingsly

Brodie Clemmer

Chamonix Michaud

Rachel Miller

Emerson Zahab

Team Mentors:

Dr. Christopher Buneo - Arizona State University

Dr. Sydney Schaefer - Arizona State University

Garth Knapp - Sound Prosthetics & Orthotics

YouTube Link:
View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting

Zoom Link:
https://asu.zoom.us/j/88339765121

Abstract

Lower-limb prosthetic users are greatly affected by fluctuations in volume and thermal changes that occur diurnally. These changes are contributive to discomfort and are the most prevalent factors in residual limb tissue breakdown such as edema, dermatitis and ulceration. In fully healed amputee patients, residual limb fluctuation can still occur at a rate of about -11% to +7%. Additionally, many lower limb prosthetic users have also reported discomfort due to heat or sweating, even with a temperature change of only one to two degrees Celcius. Research suggests that the unmet needs of prosthetic users can be characterized by 4 engineering challenges; displacement, stress, volume fluctuations and temperature. We believe that patients who have undergone transfemoral amputations especially suffer from the latter two challenges – residual limb fluctuation and heat due to friction inside the socket. The capstone team hopes to adopt an impulse response mechanism to mitigate fit problems associated with lower limb prosthetics to address these issues. This involves optimizing prosthetic socket and liner technology in order to be responsive to user input. A prosthetist would be required for initial fitting and customization, but other adjustments can be done by the patient. The research team anticipates that the force response system will adapt to diurnal physiological changes thus minimizing the discomfort and tissue degradation associated with the previously uncompromising nature of transfemoral socket systems.