Electromagnetic Suspension of Prosthetic Limbs
Abstract
Despite improvements in prosthetic limb devices, most patient-reported problems relate to how these devices are attached to the body. These problems, such as heat/sweating, skin irritation, and tissue damage, lead to reduced prosthesis use and high abandonment rates. This research aims to develop a novel prosthetic limb attachment paradigm for above-knee amputation with the potential to solve these problems without introducing a chronic infection risk (such as in percutaneous osseo integration). The proposed system is composed of a subcutaneous ferromagnetic implant in the residual bone, and an external electromagnet housed at the bottom of the socket. Magnetic attraction between the implant and the electromagnet thus allows the transfer of tensile loads (suspension forces requires to hold a prosthesis onto the body) from the prosthesis directly to the bone across a closed skin envelope. This project will entail the design of the implant and electromagnet, development of a control system, and evaluation of the attachment system using a robotic simulator with model limbs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1213440
Entities
People
- Tyler R. Clites
- William Flanagan
Organizations
- University of California, Los Angeles