User perspectives of digital manufacturing for lower-limb prosthetic sockets.

Background: There is growing interest to use digital technology (DT) for manufacturing lower-limb prosthetic sockets to improve efficiency and clinical outcomes. However, little is known about how lower-limb prosthesis users perceive DTs, such as 3D scanning and 3D printing.

Objectives: This study aimed to provide an understanding of perceptions and experiences with DT for prosthetic socket manufacturing from the perspective of prosthesis users.

Business practices efficiency: Impact of integrating digital technology on clinical P&O practices.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is on the path to transforming the approach to Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) manufacturing. Although digitalization of limbs and other body parts is not new to the field, it has not been widely accepted by the industry for various reasons. However, the reliability and precision that AM can attain, and the availability of various materials is improving rapidly.

Evaluation of an instrument-assisted dynamic prosthetic alignment technique for individuals with transtibial amputation.

Background: A prosthesis that is not optimally aligned can adversely influence the rehabilitation and health of the amputee. Very few studies to date evaluate the effectiveness and utility of instrument-assisted alignment techniques in clinical practice.

Objectives: To compare an instrument-assisted dynamic alignment technique (Compas(™)) to conventional methods.

Mobility function of a prosthetic knee joint with an automatic stance phase lock.

Background: There is a need for a prosthetic knee joint design that is technologically and functionally appropriate for use in developing countries.

Objectives: To develop and clinically evaluate a new type of stance phase controlled prosthetic knee joint that provides stance phase stability without inhibiting swing phase flexion.

Study Design: A crossover repeated measures study design comparing the new knee joint to the participant's conventional low- or high-end prosthetic knee joint.

A self-contained, mechanomyography-driven externally powered prosthesis.

The measurement of the low-frequency (5-50 Hz) "sounds" or vibrations produced by contracting muscles is termed mechanomyography (MMG). As a control signal for powered prostheses, MMG offers several advantages over conventional myoelectric control, including, nonspecific sensor placement, distal signal measurement, robustness to changing skin impedance, and reduced sensor costs. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate 2-function prosthesis control based on a triplet of distally recorded, normalized root mean square MMG signals and to identify necessary future research toward full clinical implementation of MMG signals in upper-limb externally powered prostheses.