A Sensor-Based Decision Support System for Transfemoral Socket Rectification.

Area of Science:

• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Transfemoral prosthetic socket design is crucial for patient comfort and mobility.
• Current methods for socket fitting can be time-consuming and require iterative adjustments.
• Optimizing socket fit reduces discomfort and improves prosthetic function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a decision support system (DSS) for transfemoral prosthetic socket rectification.
• To improve the accuracy and efficiency of prosthetic socket design.
• To enhance the fit and comfort of prosthetic sockets through intelligent design adjustments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a fuzzy-logic based decision support system (DSS).
• Integration of socket pressure sensor data with a fuzzy logic inference engine.
• Utilizing algorithms to modify 3D digital socket models (STL files) based on DSS recommendations.
• Validation through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations comparing socket fit and pressure distribution.

Main Results:

• The DSS provides suggestions for socket rectification actions to prosthetists.
• FEA simulations showed that volume reduction in sockets improves stump pressure distribution.
• Increased rectification intensity led to improved pressure distribution but also introduced high-pressure areas, causing discomfort.
• A necessary trade-off exists between the degree of rectification and pressure balance.

Conclusions:

• The developed DSS offers a promising approach to optimize transfemoral prosthetic socket design.
• Balancing pressure distribution is critical for prosthetic socket comfort and requires careful consideration of rectification intensity.
• Further research may refine the DSS to achieve optimal pressure distribution and minimize discomfort.