Weathersby Ethan J, Vamos Andrew C, Larsen Brian G, McLean Jake B, Carter Ryan V, Allyn Katheryn J, Ballesteros Daniel, Wang Horace, deGrasse Nicholas S, Friedly Janna L, Hafner Brian J, Garbini Joseph L, Ciol Marcia A, Sanders Joan E
Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng. 2022 Apr 28;9:20556683221093271. doi: 10.1177/20556683221093271. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.
A challenge in the engineering of auto-adjusting prosthetic sockets is to maintain stable operation of the control system while users change their bodily position and activity. The purpose of this study was to test the stability of a socket that automatically adjusted socket size to maintain fit. Socket release during sitting was conducted between bouts of walking.
Adjustable sockets with sensors that monitored distance between the liner and socket were fabricated. Motor-driven panels and a microprocessor-based control system adjusted socket size during walking to maintain a target sensed distance. Limb fluid volume was recorded continuously. During eight sit/walk cycles, the socket panels were released upon sitting and then returned to position for walking, either the size at the end of the prior bout or a size 1.0% larger in volume.
In six transtibial prosthesis users, the control system maintained stable operation and did not saturate (move to and remain at the end of the actuator's range) during 98% of the walking bouts. Limb fluid volume changes generally matched the panel position changes executed by the control system.
Stable operation of the control system suggests that the auto-adjusting socket is ready for testing in users' at-home settings.
自动调节假肢接受腔的工程设计面临的一个挑战是，在用户改变身体姿势和活动时，要保持控制系统的稳定运行。本研究的目的是测试一种能自动调节接受腔尺寸以保持贴合的接受腔的稳定性。在步行回合之间进行了坐姿时接受腔的松开测试。
制作了带有传感器的可调节接受腔，该传感器可监测内衬与接受腔之间的距离。电动面板和基于微处理器的控制系统在步行过程中调节接受腔尺寸，以保持目标感应距离。连续记录肢体液体量。在八个坐/走周期中，接受腔面板在坐下时松开，然后在步行时恢复到之前回合结束时的尺寸或体积大1.0%的尺寸。
在六名经胫骨截肢假肢使用者中，控制系统在98%的步行回合中保持稳定运行，未出现饱和（移动到并停留在致动器范围的末端）情况。肢体液体量变化通常与控制系统执行的面板位置变化相匹配。
控制系统的稳定运行表明，自动调节接受腔已准备好在用户家中进行测试。
