Design of Semirigid Wearable Devices Based on Skin Strain Analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Medical Device Design
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Usability and comfort are critical for medical and wearable products.
• Understanding soft tissue mechanical behavior is essential for devices in contact with the body.
• Tissue displacement during motion can cause discomfort and product non-adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel methodology for designing and testing wearable devices.
• To utilize dynamic skin strain field measurements for device design.
• To optimize wearable products for reduced skin friction and personalized fit.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of the dynamic skin strain field.
• Calculation of anatomical lines of minimum strain (lines of nonextension, LoNEs).
• Application of the methodology to design an ankle-foot orthosis for individuals with dorsiflexor weakness.

Main Results:

• The methodology enables the design of wearable devices based on personalized skin strain patterns.
• Lines of nonextension (LoNEs) provide a criterion for optimizing structural components.
• The developed ankle-foot orthosis design demonstrates the practical application of the LoNEs criterion.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology offers a new approach to designing comfortable and effective wearable medical devices.
• Using lines of nonextension (LoNEs) can significantly benefit the design of skin-interfacing products.
• Personalized design based on dynamic skin strain enhances product adherence and patient comfort.