New technology will transform prosthetics, SFU researchers say

SFU researchers have created a new kind of prosthetic limb socket that's lighter, cooler and far more comfortable to wear.

Researchers at Simon Fraser University have designed a new 3D-printed prosthetic socket, which they say will transform the industry.

The reimagined component is lighter and more comfortable to wear than its counterparts, according to a study published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

To create the socket, researchers first use a silicone liner covered in tiny 3D-printed sensors that track exactly where pressure hits when the wearer stands and walks. The data is then fed into an artificial intelligence software, which translates it into a 3D-printable socket design that is more personalized than traditional prosthetics.

Currently, casts or digital scans of a residual limb are used to make a mould for prosthetic sockets. Scientists behind the study say the moulds are precise in terms of shape, but don’t account for pressure points and force distribution that are unique to each person.

“For the first time, this 3D printing 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,” Woo Soo Kim, a professor in SFU’s School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and one of the study’s authors, said in a media release.

The study found that the 3D-printed limb sockets with a lightweight lattice infill absorbed 1,600 per cent more energy than solid infills when a person stands, and 1,290 per cent when they walk.

Kim said the new design improves comfort for prosthetic wearers and reduces the risk of common complications.

“We want to help local prosthetic companies better serve their clients, and make sure more comfortable, personalized prostheses are affordable and accessible to everyone who needs them,” he said, in the release.

Though the work is still in its early stages, researchers hope the technology will make custom prosthetics faster to produce and easier on patients.