Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada have developed a new, fully customisable 3D-printed socket design that they say is set to transform the prosthetics industry.
The reimagined limb socket interface combines highly personalised pressure mapping with AI software and a lighter infill, creating a highly customised prosthetic that’s more comfortable to wear, for much longer, the researchers said.
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‘For the first time, this technology is capturing unique pressure and force distribution data from a patient and using that data to design a custom prosthetic device and fabricate a much lighter, more breathable and pressure-responsive socket,’ said Woo Soo Kim, professor at the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering.
Traditional prosthetics fittings use casts or digital scans of the residual limb to make a mould for the final socket. These moulds are very precise in terms of measurements and shape, but don’t account for individualised pressure points and force distribution unique to each person, explained Kim.
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In the study, the researchers embedded a silicone liner with a miniature 3D-printed pressure-sensing mat with a network of origami sensors to measure pressure and force. The test patient wore the pressure mapping liner inside a temporary socket while standing, walking on a flat surface, walking down a ramp and leaning left and right, to mimic everyday activity.
Customised AI software translated these data into a personalised 3D-printed socket design using a custom lattice structure – a highly organised, repeating 3D pattern often found in nature and biology, like a honeycomb or the internal structure of human bone.
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The study found that the 3D-printed socket design using a latticed Gyroid infill absorbed 1,600 per cent more energy when standing compared to a traditional solid-infill socket, and 1,290 per cent when walking.
The researchers said that their new 3D-printed sockets don’t just improve comfort and quality of life for prosthetics wearers, but may also reduce common complications such as ulcers, pain, instability, musculoskeletal issues and osteoarthritis by absorbing more energy.
Kim said that the streamlined fabrication of a pressure map liner, AI-assisted design optimisation software and 3D-printed socket technology are poised to revolutionise the prosthetics industry.
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‘We want to help local prosthetic companies better serve their clients, and make sure more comfortable, personalised prostheses are affordable and accessible to everyone who needs them,’ said Kim.
Hodgson Group Orthotics and Prosthetics participated in the SFU-led research to help bridge clinical practice with emerging technology in a way that directly benefits people with limb loss. Being involved in the development and evaluation of the 3D-printed pressure-mapping system has highlighted how ‘data-driven design can meaningfully improve prosthetic fit, comfort and long-term skin health – areas that have challenged our profession for decades,’ said Loren Schubert, prosthetist at Hodgson Group.
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‘This work demonstrates how innovative, customisable and more cost-effective solutions can reshape the future of prosthetic liners and sockets, ultimately expanding access and improving the everyday experience of patients,’ added Carl Ganzert, an orthotist at Hodgson Group.
The research has been published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.