Project

Ultrasound imaging for transtibial prosthetic interface design

Groups

In the United States, there are an estimated 1.7 million people living with amputation, with that number expected to double by 2050. Complications of prosthetic leg use in persons with lower extremity amputation (LEA) include delayed wound healing, recurrent skin ulcerations, and pressure damage to soft tissues. This can result in limited mobility, which further contributes to conditions such as obesity, musculoskeletal pathologies (e.g., osteoarthritis, osteopenia, and osteoporosis), as well as cardiovascular disease. Traditionally, fabrication of prosthetic sockets remains a fundamentally artisanal process with limited input of quantitative data. Even with advances in computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), prosthetists often modify sockets using non-quantitative craft processes requiring substantial human hours and financial cost. The goal of this research is to develop and validate musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging techniques for creating predictive biomechanical models of residual limbs that will reduce the barrier for and cost of computer aided design (CAD)-driven prosthetic socket design in the US and in low-and middle-income countries.                                     

Research Topics
#bioengineering #health