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Kwak JW, Han M, Xie Z, Chung HU, Lee JY, Avila R, Yohay J, Chen X, Liang C, Patel M, Jung I, Kim J, Namkoong M, Kwon K, Guo X, Ogle C, Grande D, Ryu D, Kim DH, Madhvapathy S, Liu C, Yang DS, Park Y, Caldwell R, Banks A, Xu S, Huang Y, Fatone S, Rogers JA. Wireless sensors for continuous, multimodal measurements at the skin interface with lower limb prostheses. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/574/eabc4327. [PMID: 33328330 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abc4327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Precise form-fitting of prosthetic sockets is important for the comfort and well-being of persons with limb amputations. Capabilities for continuous monitoring of pressure and temperature at the skin-prosthesis interface can be valuable in the fitting process and in monitoring for the development of dangerous regions of increased pressure and temperature as limb volume changes during daily activities. Conventional pressure transducers and temperature sensors cannot provide comfortable, irritation-free measurements because of their relatively rigid construction and requirements for wired interfaces to external data acquisition hardware. Here, we introduce a millimeter-scale pressure sensor that adopts a soft, three-dimensional design that integrates into a thin, flexible battery-free, wireless platform with a built-in temperature sensor to allow operation in a noninvasive, imperceptible fashion directly at the skin-prosthesis interface. The sensor system mounts on the surface of the skin of the residual limb, in single or multiple locations of interest. A wireless reader module attached to the outside of the prosthetic socket wirelessly provides power to the sensor and wirelessly receives data from it, for continuous long-range transmission to a standard consumer electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet computer. Characterization of both the sensor and the system, together with theoretical analysis of the key responses, illustrates linear, accurate responses and the ability to address the entire range of relevant pressures and to capture skin temperature accurately, both in a continuous mode. Clinical application in two prosthesis users demonstrates the functionality and feasibility of this soft, wireless system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Won Kwak
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Mengdi Han
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Zhaoqian Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
| | | | | | - Raudel Avila
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jessica Yohay
- Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Xuexian Chen
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Cunman Liang
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Manish Patel
- University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Inhwa Jung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, South Korea
| | - Jongwon Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, South Korea.,Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, South Korea
| | - Myeong Namkoong
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Kyeongha Kwon
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Xu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, International Research Center for Computational Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Surabhi Madhvapathy
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Claire Liu
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Da Som Yang
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yoonseok Park
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ryan Caldwell
- Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Scheck & Siress Prosthetics and Orthotics, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USA
| | - Anthony Banks
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Shuai Xu
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Sibel Inc., Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yonggang Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Stefania Fatone
- Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - John A Rogers
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. .,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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Quinlan J, Yohay J, Subramanian V, Poziembo B, Fatone S. Using mechanical testing to assess the effect of lower-limb prosthetic socket texturing on longitudinal suspension. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237841. [PMID: 32813733 PMCID: PMC7437898 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To function effectively, a lower limb prosthetic socket must remain securely coupled to the residual limb during walking, running and other activities of daily living; this coupling is referred to as suspension. When this coupling is insufficient longitudinal pistoning of the socket relative to the residual limb occurs. Increasing friction of the socket/liner interface may improve socket suspension and textured sockets may be fabricated relatively easily with 3D printing. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal displacement of sockets with different types of textures under two suspension conditions: passive suction and active vacuum. In order to do this, we developed a mock residual limb and mechanical testing protocol. Prosthetic sockets, 14 textured sockets and an Original Squirt-Shape (OSS) Socket, were fabricated from polypropylene copolymer using the Squirt-Shape™ 3D Printer and compared to a smooth socket thermoformed from polypropylene copolymer. Sockets were mounted onto a dual durometer mock residual limb and subjected to four levels of distraction forces (100 N, 250 N, 500 N and 650 N) using a hydraulic material testing system. There was a statistically significant three-way interaction between suspension, force level and texture (p < 0.0005). Longitudinal displacements between textured and reference sockets, for all force levels and both suspension conditions, were significantly different (p < 0.0005). Using these newly developed mechanical testing protocols, it was demonstrated that texturing of polypropylene copolymer sockets fabricated using Squirt-Shape significantly decreased longitudinal displacements compared to a smooth socket. However, none of the novel textured sockets significantly reduced longitudinal displacement compared to the OSS socket under passive suction suspension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Quinlan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jessica Yohay
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Vasanth Subramanian
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Brad Poziembo
- Prosthetic Design Inc, Dayton, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Stefania Fatone
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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