SmartTemp Socket for Improved Prosthetic Performance
Abstract
The proposed work addresses the RESTORE focus area of optimization of Warfighter performance following limb trauma or loss. While there is good work being performed to enhance the control and utility of prosthetic devices, one of the biggest complaints among prosthesis users is heat and sweat within the prosthetic socket. This is especially true for our Service men and women who sustained an amputation as a result of their battlefield wounds. These individuals are generally young and active and place high demands on their prostheses. Their increased use and range of activities performed creates a lot of heat released from their body, which gets trapped within the prosthetic socket interface and leads to excessive perspiration. This perspiration can have several negative effects for the user. It causes discomfort and a lack of confidence that the prosthesis will stay on because a layer of sweat between their limb and the prosthesis can allow the prosthesis to slide off or move uncomfortably. It also creates an environment that places the user at increased risk for infection and tissue injury. One of the biggest hindrances sweat within the prosthesis causes is that it interrupts their activity, so they must remove their prosthesis to dry off their limb and regain confidence in the connection between their limb and the artificial device. The prosthesis user may not always be in a situation where undressing to address the excess perspiration is possible. Heat gets trapped within the socket because the materials used to provide structural support; cushioning and comfort for the user are also thermally insulative. There have been several attempts to develop socket cooling technology. While preliminary results have been presented at various trade shows, there has yet to be a commercial product released. This is likely due to the added complexity (electrical charging requirements, fabrication complexity), weight, bulk, and additional cost that does not fit within the established health insurance reimbursement system. The vision of this project is to develop a solution that addresses the issue of heat and perspiration within the socket without adding complexity, weight, bulk, or significant cost to the overall system. Such a solution will allow prosthesis users to regain mobility, improve their quality of life, and live a more normal lifestyle. This will be realized through the advancement of materials commonly used to fabricate prosthetic sockets, making them less thermally insulative, allowing heat to leave the socket interface, and decreasing user sweating within the interface. The proposed team has previously developed a thermally enhanced gel liner that incorporates phase change material, which has gained commercial success. The team will begin the material development by focusing on each socket additive individually to understand how they impact the thermal, strength, and processing properties of the socket material. The team will then leverage this understanding to combine all additives into one resin system and again evaluate the changes in thermal, strength, and processing properties to optimize a final solution. The final solution will then be evaluated to understand the improvements of the system. Improvements in protective armor and medical practices have increased combat injury survival rates. Thus, the number of Service personnel surviving with amputations has increased with current estimates exceeding 1,700 surviving amputees, many of whom have sustained more than one limb amputation. While a primary goal of many military personnel having an amputation is to lead normal, productive lifestyles, an important secondary goal is the potential to return to active duty status and continue their military Service. Critical to regaining normal lifestyles and even returning to active duty is to have a comfortable and functional socket interface that does not hinder the performance or cause harm to the
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110165
Entities
People
- James Colvin
Organizations
- United States Army
- Willow Wood (United States)