Developing a control framework for self-adjusting prosthetic sockets incorporating tissue injury risk estimation and...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Prosthetics

Background:

• Lower limb amputees rely on prosthetic sockets for daily activities.
• Poorly fitting sockets lead to pain, injury, and limited use.
• Current adjustable sockets lack active, user-independent pressure control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automatic control framework for adjustable transtibial prosthetic sockets.
• To actively adapt residuum-socket interfacial loading using localized actuators.
• To estimate and mitigate soft tissue injury risk.

Main Methods:

• Finite element analysis to model pressure-strain relationships.
• Development of a control structure for tissue injury risk assessment.
• Implementation of Generalized Predictive Control for multiple actuators.

Main Results:

• Simulations showed satisfactory dynamic performance for the control system.
• Estimated actuation rates for walking and ADL scenarios were within safe limits.
• The system effectively maintained interfacial pressure within safe and functional ranges.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework enables active adaptation of prosthetic socket pressure.
• This technology can reduce tissue injury risk and improve prosthetic use.
• It is particularly beneficial for amputees with impaired sensory feedback.