Smart textile sensing for prosthetic fit monitoring**

影响假肢舒适性、功能性和维护性的一个关键因素是残肢和假体之间的插座接口。作为残肢和假肢之间的机械接口，插座分配承重载荷，传递关节运动，并向用户提供触觉反馈。由训练有素的修复师形成的单个残肢，插座基本上是静态的形式。合适的界面匹配面临的挑战是多种因素(例如萎缩、炎症、液体滞留)在短期和长期内引起的残存肢体体积变化，这可能导致并发症(例如功能减退、疼痛、压疮、水肿)。*缺乏可用的工具来测量和监控界面匹配。目前使用压敏薄膜的方法受到传感位置有限、可定制化程度低、传感器信号漂移和成本高的限制。拟议的研究范围是开发和测试一种智能纺织袜子，该袜子能够测量和监控适合经胫骨假体使用者的插座。该项目包括以下研发活动：1)使用现有的智能纺织品原型技术生成插座配合传感器原型，以及2)系统的台架测试以评估传感器的有效性和可靠性。*研究的直接结果包括智能纺织品的系统原型以感知插座配合、一系列模拟的幻肢残肢以系统地和可重复地测试原型，以及支持技术文档和临床前认证的测试数据(例如，加拿大卫生部)。除了为截肢者和假肢医生提供改善假肢功能和舒适性的新工具外，拟议的研究成果还将有助于开发新产品，以减少假肢使用的并发症和相关的医疗保健成本。

A critical factor in comfort, functioning, and maintenance of prosthetics is the socket interface between the residual limb and device. As the mechanical interface between the residual limb and prosthetic, sockets distribute weight-bearing loads, transmit joint movements, and deliver tactile feedback to the user. Formed to individual residual limbs by trained prosthetists, sockets are essentially static forms. A challenge to proper interface fit is residual limb volume change over short- and long-term periods arising from multiple factors (e.g., atrophy, inflammation, fluid retention), which can lead to complications (e.g., reduced functionality, pain, pressure ulcers, edema).****There is the lack of available tools to measure and monitor interface fit. Current methods using pressure-sensitive films are limited by a finite number of sensing locations, low customizability, sensor signal drift, and high costs. The scope of the proposed research is to develop and test a smart textile sock capable of measuring and monitoring socket fit for transtibial prosthetics users. The project encompasses R&D activities to: 1) generate socket fit sensor prototypes using available smart textile prototyping technologies, and 2) systematic bench testing to evaluate sensor validity and reliability.****Direct outcomes of the research includes system prototypes of a smart textile to sense socket fit, a series of simulated phantom residual limbs to systematically and reproducibly test prototypes, and test data to support technical documentation and pre-clinical certification (e.g., Health Canada). In addition to delivering new tools for amputees and prosthetists to improve the function and comfort of prostheses, the outcomes of the proposed research will contribute to developing new products to reduce complications with prosthetic use and associated health care costs.