CUSTOMISATION OF COSMETIC COVERS FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS

定制假肢装饰套

• 批准号: EP/I000577/1
• 负责人: Jonathan Corney
• 金额: $ 24.16万
• 依托单位: University of Strathclyde
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2010 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI000577%2F1
• 关键词: CUSTOMISATION; COSMETIC; COVERS; ARTIFICIAL; LIMBS

This proposal combines academic expertise in digital manufacturing and heterogeneous foams (University of Strathclyde, Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management) with prosthetics practitioners (University of Strathclyde, National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics) and non-academic partners, manufacturers (Blatchford Ltd.) and service users (PACE Rehabilitation, an SME), to investigate the feasibility of revolutionising the functionality and appearance of prosthetic cosmoses. Currently, flexible polyurethane foam cosmoses are a widely used component of prostheses for limbs. In a very labour intensive process, cosmoses may be machined from slab stock to a semi finished form and then shaped further to match patient requirements. An ordinary covering stocking is often added to enhance the cosmetic appearance of the prosthesis. Amputees cover their metal orthopaedic limb (i.e. artificial leg, arm, etc) with a two-fold function cosmesis: it protects the expensive equipment and, in theory, it provides a better aesthetic appearance to the patient's orthopaedic prosthesis. The reality is that cosmetic covers underperform the artificial limb, attract dirt, are non-water proof or fire resistant, impede the normal functioning of joint(s) and have a poor visual finishing which hinders the patient's psychological recovery and acceptance of their new condition and appearance.Although widely used, the foam cosmesis neither deforms like human limbs nor withstands repeated flexure, and its appearance is far from resembling human skin. These problems have their root in the standardized nature of the foam used; with a homogeneous and uniform pore size throughout the material, the stiffness will also be constant and consequently it will bend in an 'unnatural' way. Ultimately the highly stressed areas will fail, and the foam will tear at the joints (especially on the knee). The mechanical properties of foams are determined by their cellular structure; so small cells with thicker walls create stronger, stiffer materials than large open pours. Traditional manufacturing methods have fabricated cosmoses from blocks of homogeneous foam resulting in objects that have uniform mechanical properties. However it is also well known that variation in cellular structure can produce impressive combinations of strength and flexibility. To date, no manufacturing process for mass production has existed capable of dynamically varying the cellular structure of foamed material. Consequently, a controlled variation of features in the cosmesis to suit patient's movements and needs is not available. This proposal seeks to enable the mass customization of functionally graded foams, so they can be fitted to orthopaedic limbs and replicate the movement of the existing (healthy) limb. Using recently reported advanced manufacturing techniques never used before in this field, (e.g. computational modelling and simulation of foamed materials' behaviour, rapid prototyping technologies, ultrasonic irradiation, etc), as well as cutting-edge technology in scanning and measurement of materials properties, we aim to provide end-users (both practitioner prosthetists and patients) with a method of influencing shape, appearance, function and behaviour of foam cosmoses for orthopaedic applications.This proposal envisages a 2 year work program during which the commercial partners will help with patient satisfaction interviews, will input directly into the specification of requirements, and assist with the assessment of results. Our intention with the outcomes of this project is to pave the way for our partners to apply the results and implement them in the production process, allowing them to take the work forward and exploit the benefits that the project's output will provide to the relevant industry, rehabilitation services, carers (i.e. orthotists), the National Health Service and, most importantly, the patient.

该提案将数字制造和异质泡沫方面的学术专业知识（斯特拉斯克莱德大学设计、制造和工程管理系）与假肢从业者（斯特拉斯克莱德大学国家假肢和矫形中心）以及非学术合作伙伴、制造商（Blatchford Ltd.）和服务用户（PACE Rehabilitation，一家中小企业）结合起来，以研究其可行性 彻底改变了假肢宇宙的功能和外观。目前，软质聚氨酯泡沫宇宙是广泛使用的四肢假肢组件。在劳动密集型过程中，Cosmos 可以从板坯加工成半成品，然后进一步成型以满足患者的要求。通常会添加普通的覆盖袜以增强假肢的美观性。截肢者用双重功能美容来覆盖他们的金属矫形肢体（即假腿、假臂等）：它可以保护昂贵的设备，并且从理论上讲，它可以为患者的矫形假肢提供更好的美观外观。现实情况是，化妆品覆盖物的性能不如假肢，容易沾污，不防水、不防火，影响关节的正常功能，视觉效果差，不利于患者的心理恢复和接受新的状况和外观。泡沫化妆品虽然应用广泛，但它既不会像人体肢体那样变形，也不会经受反复弯曲，其外观与人体皮肤相差甚远。这些问题的根源在于所用泡沫的标准化性质；由于整个材料的孔径均匀一致，刚度也将是恒定的，因此它会以“不自然”的方式弯曲。最终，高应力区域会失效，泡沫会在关节处撕裂（尤其是膝盖处）。泡沫的机械性能由其泡孔结构决定；因此，具有较厚壁的小单元可以比大型开放式浇注材料制造出更坚固、更坚硬的材料。传统的制造方法是用均匀的泡沫块制造宇宙，从而产生具有均匀机械性能的物体。然而，众所周知，细胞结构的变化可以产生令人印象深刻的强度和灵活性的组合。迄今为止，尚不存在能够动态改变泡沫材料的多孔结构的大规模生产制造工艺。因此，无法实现化妆品特征的受控变化来适应患者的运动和需求。该提案旨在实现功能分级泡沫的大规模定制，以便将它们安装到矫形肢体上并复制现有（健康）肢体的运动。利用最近报道的该领域以前从未使用过的先进制造技术（例如泡沫材料行为的计算建模和模拟、快速原型技术、超声波照射等）以及材料属性扫描和测量的尖端技术，我们的目标是为最终用户（假肢医师和患者）提供一种影响泡沫宇宙的形状、外观、功能和行为的方法 骨科应用。该提案设想了一个为期 2 年的工作计划，在此期间商业合作伙伴将帮助进行患者满意度访谈，直接输入要求规范，并协助评估结果。我们对该项目成果的目的是为我们的合作伙伴应用成果并在生产过程中实施铺平道路，使他们能够推进工作并利用该项目的成果将为相关行业、康复服务、护理人员（即矫形师）、国家卫生服务部门以及最重要的患者带来的好处。

项目成果

Rethinking the foam cosmesis for people with lower limb absence.

• DOI: 10.1177/0309364617708650
• 发表时间: 2018-04
• 期刊: Prosthetics and orthotics international
• 影响因子: 1.5
• 作者: Cairns N;Corney J;Murray K;Moore-Millar K;Hatcher GD;Zahedi S;Bradbury R;McCarthy J
• 通讯作者: McCarthy J

What do lower limb amputees think of their cosmesis?

下肢截肢者如何看待自己的美容？

• 作者: Nicola Cairns (Co-Author)