Customization of lower limb orthotic devices

自TOPMED被认可为矫形器、假肢和医疗设备技术转让的大学中心以来--这在加拿大是独一无二的-- TOPMED与Collège Mérici密切合作，通过为Mérici人员提供技术资源和工具，并帮助他们发展基本的医疗专业知识，来提高学院的研究能力。Collège Mérici和TOPMED现在希望将学院的研究能力提升到一个新的水平，并通过开发新的工具和方法为患者提供新的，高质量的定制支持。" 定制方法不仅非常适合开发创新和适应性强的解决方案和产品。该方法对于需要矫正装置的患者也是有益的，因为它导致为他们设计的干预和矫正器的改进采用。患者的生物力学特征、活动和稳定性水平、痉挛状态等条件以及肌肉力量都将指导理想矫形器的选择。因此，我们建议开发一种新的定制方法来治疗下肢病变。基于患者的客观生物力学数据，我们将量化和调节矫正装置提供的矫正水平。研究团队将与行业合作伙伴密切合作，以： 1.制定一种方法，用于分析和预测生物力学矫正模型，以适应各种运动（步行、爬楼梯、适当时跑步）期间脚、踝关节和膝关节的常见病变; 2.开发生物力学矫正的工具和方法：根据患者特定的解剖结构和代偿生物力学，设计、模拟和先进制造定制设计的矫正组件; 3.与患者反复验证整个过程，以优化生物力学校正分析和预测建模工具以及先进的制造工艺。

Since the recognition of TOPMED as a college center for technology transfer in orthoses, prostheses, and medical equipment - unique in Canada - TOPMED has worked closely with Collège Mérici to increase the college's research capacity by equipping the Mérici personnel with technological resources and tools and by helping them develop essential medical expertise. Collège Mérici and TOPMED now wish to take the college's research capacity to a new level and provide patients with new, high-quality custom support by developing new tools and approaches for "Customization of lower limb orthotic devices." The customized approach is not only highly suitable for developing innovative and well-adapted solutions and products. The approach is also beneficial for patients needing an orthotic device as it leads to an improved adoption of the interventions and orthoses designed for them. The specifics of the patient's biomechanics, the level of activity and stability, conditions such as spasticity, as well as muscular strength will all guide the choice of the ideal orthosis. Thus, we propose to develop a new customized approach to the treatment of lower limb pathologies. Based on objective biomechanical data of the patient, we will quantify and modulate the level of correction that an orthotic device offers. The research team will work closely with industry partners to: 1. Develop a methodology for the analysis and predictive modelling of biomechanical correction adapted to common pathologies of the foot, ankle, and knee during various movements (walking, climbing staires, running when appropriate); 2. Develop tools and approaches for biomechanical correction: Design, simulation, and advanced manufacturing of custom-designed orthotic components according to patient-specific anatomy and compensatory biomechanics; 3. Validate the entire process iteratively with patients in order to optimize the biomechanical correction analysis and predictive modelling tools as well as the advanced manufacturing processes.