Transtibial prosthetic socket design: Understanding the requirements for a healthy residual limb

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A prosthesis serves to restore the functions of an amputated limb partially. A prosthesis is, therefore, a gateway for a restored social and economic life for many. With over 30 million lower leg amputees worldwide, the prosthesis which are accessible to most must sufficiently cater to the user's needs. However, with current transtibial prosthesis (for below the knee amputations) designs, around 25 - 57% of users choose to abandon their prosthesis. This is primarily attributed to the interface between the amputated limb and the prosthesis, which is comprised of the prosthetic socket and liner. The high proportion of abandonment indicates there is much room for research and development. The lack of effective design is due to the difficulty in holistically understanding and solving the design challenges because this requires multidisciplinary knowledge across biology, biomechanics, mechanical and manufacturing engineering, clinical knowledge, and experience. In the literature, there is clear interconnectivity and interplay between the socket design parameters and the amputated limb. This systematic nature is largely not considered in the development of prosthetic socket design. The literature in which systematic nature is considered a clear improvement in design outcomes is recorded. This project, therefore, aims to expand in that trajectory by considering a holistic approach to design. And thus, answer the research question: how to design and manufacture an effective and accessible prosthetic socket? The method to achieve this is outlined below in the objectives of this PhD project:- To holistically investigate the residual limb system and how to maintain it healthy in everyday use.- To investigation the limitations to current socket design and modelling techniques - To investigate the design using Axiomatic design principles, consideration for the design for manufacture and biomimicry to find suitable design parameters for the socket.- Using the previous investigations to derive a novel manufacturing and design process for prosthetic sockets - To test and validate the design through the development of computer and physical models of an amputated limb and socket.The potential application includes the production of a low-cost prosthetic socket which can be modified to include other types of amputation. Additionally, this research could improve the human-machine interaction, for example, in wearable devices and other wearable equipment.