Smart textile sensing for prosthetic fit monitoring**

假肢的舒适、功能和维护的一个关键因素是残肢和假肢之间的接口。关节窝作为残肢与假肢之间的机械接口，分配承重载荷，传递关节运动，并向使用者传递触觉反馈。由训练有素的义肢专家为单个残肢制作的插座本质上是静态的。由于多种因素（如萎缩、炎症、液体潴留），在短期和长期内，残肢体积会发生变化，从而导致并发症（如功能减退、疼痛、压疮、水肿），这对界面的适当配合构成了挑战。****缺乏可用的工具来测量和监控接口适配性。目前使用压敏薄膜的方法受到传感位置有限、可定制性低、传感器信号漂移和高成本的限制。拟议的研究范围是开发和测试一种智能纺织袜子，能够测量和监测套孔适合跨胫骨假肢用户。该项目包括研发活动：1)使用现有的智能纺织品原型技术生成插座贴合传感器原型，以及2)系统的台架测试以评估传感器的有效性和可靠性。****该研究的直接成果包括智能纺织品的系统原型，用于感知插座契合度，一系列模拟残肢，用于系统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）。除了为截肢者和义肢医生提供新的工具，以改善义肢的功能和舒适度外，拟议研究的成果将有助于开发新产品，以减少义肢使用并发症和相关的医疗费用。

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.