Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2024

Department

Bioengineering

First Advisor

Prashanth Asuri

Second Advisor

Unyoung (Ashley) Kim

Abstract

Transtibial amputees face challenges such as loss of proprioception and fluctuations in the size and composition of their residual limb, which can compromise comfort and mobility. This project aims to create a transtibial impact-reducing liner combined with integrated haptic feedback to enhance comfort and restore proprioceptive senses. The impact-reducing liner includes impact reduction over pressure-intolerant regions, impact redistribution over pressure-tolerant regions, and a variable volume system that dynamically adjusts to changes in the residual limb’s volume throughout the day. The haptic feedback system employs force-sensitive resistors located on various regions of the prosthetic foot. These sensors transmit via Bluetooth to vibrational nodes embedded in the liner to provide the user with real-time feedback. Prototype testing has shown positive results in reducing pressure similar to the field’s gold standard. The haptic feedback system was able to generate vibrations at four separate nodes but encountered Bluetooth transmission issues when implementing a fifth node. The variable volume testing confirmed the need for additional volume throughout the day and outlined the future work for fluid flow and integration. Overall, the integration of these technologies shows significant potential to augment comfort and mobility over extended periods leading to a higher quality of life for transtibial amputees.

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