Additive Manufacturing of Smart Footwear Components for Healthcare Applications

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Orthotics and Prosthetics

Background:

• Diabetic foot complications present significant risks, requiring advanced orthotic solutions.
• Traditional orthoses may not adequately address the complex biomechanical needs of diabetic patients.
• Additive manufacturing offers potential for personalized, functional footwear components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of additive manufacturing in creating lattice-based structures for diabetic foot orthoses.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties and pressure distribution characteristics of different lattice designs.
• To establish a correlation between lattice properties and pressure relief for tailored orthotic solutions.

Main Methods:

• Five lattice structures (gyroid, diamond, Schwarz P, Split P, honeycomb) were designed and fabricated using stereolithography (SLA).
• Varying strand thicknesses and resin types were employed during fabrication.
• Mechanical testing, porosity analysis, and real-time pressure mapping using force-sensitive resistors were conducted.

Main Results:

• The Schwarz P lattice structure demonstrated superior compressive strength, especially with flexible resin.
• Significant variations in porosity were observed among the lattice structures.
• A correlation was established between lattice properties and pressure distribution, identifying effective pressure-alleviating designs.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing is feasible for producing personalized diabetic foot orthoses with lattice structures.
• Tailored lattice designs can effectively reduce plantar pressure hotspots.
• This approach holds promise for improving outcomes in diabetic foot care by mitigating complications.