STTR Phase I: Electromagnetic Suspension System for Prosthetic Limbs

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project: If successful, this research will have immediate social, economic, and scientific impact. This project will expand the field of prosthetics and create new research direction in prosthetics. It will result in a better understanding of prosthetic suspension and volume limb loss. This research will create a much needed intelligent method for suspension of prosthetic limbs, and therefore improve the daily lives and enable broader range of activity for amputees. The research will directly result in a commercial product that will be disseminated locally in Hawai?i and eventually throughout the nation. Hawai?i has a thriving network of biotechnology industry, and this project will expand the network. The project will support a graduate student and inevitably benefit the Native Hawaiian community throughout the state of Hawaii. This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project sets a completely new direction in the area of prosthetics and will advance the knowledge and understanding of human-device interaction. Currently available vacuum systems have problems including loss of seal, maintenance of mechanical or electrical pump, reduced range of motion across joint, and potentially detrimental force application to residual limb tissue if vacuum is not applied correctly. The hypothesis is that an intelligent electromagnetic suspension system can be made that improves the connection between the amputee and the prosthetic and reduces limb volume loss. The research objective is to prove the concept of electromagnetic suspension for prosthetic limbs. To accomplish this, a suspension system with electromagnets embedded in the socket will be developed and incorporated into existing prosthetic limb socket. A feedback loop will be implemented to control the attractive force between the electromagnets and magnetic material embedded in the liner. A microprocessor will be used to control the electromagnets according to pressure sensor output from within the socket. The prototype will undergo functional and mechanical testing; the results of which will show the feasibility of the idea for magnetic attachment.