Abstract
This paper describes the design and manufacturing process of an advanced socket for upper limb prostheses. This device uses synergies between smart materials such as phase change materials (PCM), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and a 3D printed metastructure to improve ergonomics and thermal comfort. Virtual prototyping was combined with traditional fabrication techniques to obtain a biocompatible, user-centered device, whose main advantage is an improved thermal behavior. Besides feasibility and biocompatibility tests, the paper describes the results of a preliminary trial involving a volunteer with upper limb amputation. It was observed that the use of an inner metastructure provides basic mechanical stability and improves resin flowability. The combination of PCM and rGO delay the increase in inner socket temperature during physical exercise on a treadmill, which induced a feeling of freshness and dryness and improved the comfort for the user. These findings, despite their preliminary nature, suggest that advanced modifications of the materials and technologies involved in the production of prosthetic sockets are able to generate appreciable benefits in terms of usability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Ghoseiri, K., Safari, M.R.: J. Rehabil. Res. Dev. 51, 855 (2014)
Sang, Y., Li, X., Luo, Y.: Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part H J. Eng. Med. 230, 239 (2016)
Paternò, L., Ibrahimi, M., Gruppioni, E., Menciassi, A., Ricotti, L.: IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 65, 1996 (2018)
GL Walters, D.S., Montez, J.P.: 15/652,695 (2018)
Sharma, A., Tyagi, V.V., Chen, C.R., Buddhi, D.: Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 13, 318 (2009)
Fatih Demirbas, M.: Energy Sources Part B Econ. Plan. Policy 1, 85 (2006)
Huang, X., Alva, G., Jia, Y., Fang, G.: Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 72, 128 (2017)
Wernke, M.M., Schroeder, R.M., Kelley, C.T., Denune, J.A., Colvin, J.M.: J. Prosthetics Orthot. 27, 134 (2015)
Ersoy, M.S., et al.: 5th International Istanbul Text Congress, vol. 82 (2015)
Cai, G., Xu, Z., Yang, M., Tang, B., Wang, X.: Appl. Surf. Sci. 393, 441 (2017)
Gan, L., Shang, S., Yuen, C.W.M., Xiang Jiang, S.: Compos. Sci. Technol. 117, 208 (2015)
Hidayah, N.M.S., et al.: AIP Conf. Proc. 1892 (2017)
Hummers, W.S., Offeman, R.E.: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80, 1339 (1958)
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Centro Protesi Inail for supporting this study through the MAPS Project (Multimaterials for Adapted Prosthetic Sockets). They also thank Giuseppe Andreoni, Paolo Perego and Roberto Sironi (Politecnico di Milano) for useful scientific discussions; Enrico Bassani and Nicola Bennato (CNR-ICMATE) for technical support in the additive manufacturing process; and Giovanni Hamoui, Pietro Morara and Mario Vertucci (Inail) for support in the lamination process.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Pittaccio, S. et al. (2022). Hybrid Manufacturing of Upper-Limb Prosthesis Sockets with Improved Material Properties. In: Miesenberger, K., Kouroupetroglou, G., Mavrou, K., Manduchi, R., Covarrubias Rodriguez, M., Penáz, P. (eds) Computers Helping People with Special Needs. ICCHP-AAATE 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13342. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08645-8_46
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08645-8_46
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-08644-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-08645-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)