Kundumani Janarthanan Aravind Kanna, Vaidhyanathan Bala
Department of Materials, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.
Micromachines (Basel). 2024 Dec 28;16(1):30. doi: 10.3390/mi16010030.
Diabetic foot complications pose significant health risks, necessitating innovative approaches in orthotic design. This study explores the potential of additive manufacturing in producing functional footwear components with lattice-based structures for diabetic foot orthoses. Five distinct lattice structures (gyroid, diamond, Schwarz P, Split P, and honeycomb) were designed and fabricated using stereolithography (SLA) with varying strand thicknesses and resin types. Mechanical testing revealed that the Schwarz P lattice exhibited superior compressive strength, particularly when fabricated with flexible resin. Porosity analysis demonstrated significant variations across structures, with the gyroid showing the most pronounced changes with increasing mesh thickness. Real-time pressure distribution mapping, achieved through integrated force-sensitive resistors and Arduino-based data acquisition, enabled the visualization of pressure hotspots across the insole. The correlation between lattice properties and pressure distribution was established, allowing for tailored designs that effectively alleviated high-pressure areas. This study demonstrates the feasibility of creating highly personalized orthotic solutions for diabetic patients using additive manufacturing, offering a promising approach to reducing the plantar pressure in foot and may contribute to improved outcomes in diabetic foot care.
糖尿病足并发症带来重大健康风险，因此在矫形器设计中需要创新方法。本研究探讨了增材制造在生产具有晶格结构的功能性鞋类部件用于糖尿病足矫形器方面的潜力。使用立体光刻（SLA）技术，设计并制造了五种不同的晶格结构（螺旋曲面、菱形、施瓦茨P、分裂P和蜂窝），其具有不同的股线厚度和树脂类型。力学测试表明，施瓦茨P晶格表现出卓越的抗压强度，尤其是采用柔性树脂制造时。孔隙率分析显示不同结构间存在显著差异，随着网格厚度增加，螺旋曲面结构的变化最为明显。通过集成力敏电阻器和基于Arduino的数据采集实现的实时压力分布映射，能够可视化鞋垫上的压力热点。建立了晶格特性与压力分布之间的相关性，从而能够进行定制设计，有效缓解高压区域。本研究证明了使用增材制造为糖尿病患者创建高度个性化矫形解决方案的可行性，为降低足部足底压力提供了一种有前景的方法，并可能有助于改善糖尿病足护理的效果。
