Nanocomposite fabric sensors for socket prostheses and pressure ulcer prevention
A prosthetic socket is the primary interface between an amputees residual limb(or stump)and the prosthesis.Designing sockets is most challenging mainly due to the uniqueness and variability of dimensions of the stump over time.In addition,amputees(especially lower-limb ones)suffer from high risks of developing pressure ulcers when their residual limbs are subjected to prolonged mechanical compression and friction.One of the most effective ways to prevent pressure ulcers is to monitor the pressure exerted on the socket and then alleviate local pressure “hot spots. Therefore,this work aims to develop a fabricbased sensor that conforms to the interior of a socket prosthesis and map the pressure distribution along the human-socket interface.In particular,piezoresistive carbon nanotubebased thin films were integrated with stretchable fabric,which was then customized to conform to the three-dimensional geometry of the socket interior.When the residual stump makes contact and applies pressure to the fabric-based sensor,pressure-induced strains cause the sensor to change its electrical properties.To map the entire pressure distribution acting on the socket,an electrical impedance tomography measurement strategy and algorithm were implemented.In short,the conductivity distribution of the fabric sensor(which was precalibrated to strains or pressure)was reconstructed using voltage measurements acquired along the boundary of the fabric sensor.In addition,distributed sensing accuracy and resolution was also enhanced using a compressed sensing algorithm.Overall,laboratory test results showed that the flexible fabric sensors could effectively monitor pressure distribution and identify pressure “hot spots.
compressed sensing electrical impedance tomography fabric sensor nanocomposite pressure mapping pressure ulcer socket prosthesis
Long Wang Kenneth J.Loh
Department of Structural Engineering,University of California-San Diego,La Jolla,CA 92093,USA
国际会议
The 7th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring(7WCSCM)(第七届结构控制与监测世界大会)
青岛
英文
2480-2487
2018-07-22（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）