Prosthesis Socket Diagnostic Tool

The successful introduction of advanced prosthetic arm systems such as those developed by the DARPA "Revolutionizing Prosthetics" program will require overcoming unique challenges of fitting prostheses to arm amputees in a systematic way. Innovative diagnostic tools are required for quantifying the socket-limb interface during the fitting process, and provide for a systematic socket-fitting strategy that yields reliable and reproducible results. FTL Labs Corporation (FTL), working with Dr. Frank Sup's Mechatronics and Robotics Research Laboratory at UMass, Amherst, proposes a powerful new enabling technology for socket fitment. FTL's SoundFit is tested, feasible, and effective. It applies recently-available sensors and intuitive visualization software to provide the prosthetist a quantifiable internal measurement during socket fitment.