School of Design, Engineering & Computing

BU Research features in internationally recognised publication

02 June 2010

Research into improving the fit and comfort associated with prosthetic limb sockets has been further publicised in trade magazine, The O&P EDGE.

Following the article published in The Engineer magazine in March, Professor Siamak Noroozi and Dr Philip Sewell's research into prosthetics conducted at BU has attracted attention from the major industry publication The O&P EDGE, which reaches a considerable audience of certified prosthetists and orthotists, allied health professionals including physical and occupational therapists and end users of products.

Targeting predominantly the U.S and Canada, The O&P EDGE reaches out to a number of other countries across the globe, opening up a whole host of opportunities for the research once the product is fully developed through joint research being conducted with Chas A Blatchford & Sons and supported by the EPSRC. Whilst in the UK there is approximately one amputee in every one thousand of the population, the U.S alone has a substantially higher figure, with an estimated 1.9 million amputees across the country.

Despite such a substantial number of amputees, often war veterans who have lost limbs serving their country, little is being done to address the issue of poor socket fit. Most developments have been in improving the knee or foot components, however, the socket is the interface between the amputee and their limb which, if poorly fitted, can cause discomfort or even pain affecting mobility. Accurate socket fitting is further complicated by changes in stump volume throughout the day due to fluid build up or loss.

Socket fitting techniques currently used are predominantly subjective, using patient experience and feedback as the key indicator of prosthetic socket fit or comfort. There are no tools on the market that can quantify the quality of socket fit which is what the research at BU aims to be able to do. The technique developed uses artificial intelligence to predict the pressure distribution in the socket and ultimately will continually adjust the socket geometry, based on this data, to ensure a high level of fit is maintained. Using a series of small sensors embedded in the socket, the final product is anticipated to be a cost-efficient, as well as technologically advanced, alternative to industry standard products.

Publicising the research in The O&P EDGE has potentially opened up a considerable segment of the overseas amputees market. The unique features and technological developments of Prof. Noroozi and Dr Sewell's research, ensures the completed project is an attractive product for the UK as well as countries such as the US, who have considerable amputee populations.

Dr Sewell commented, "These are exciting times, the funding we have received coupled with industry support will allow us to transform our research into a commercial product. Having our work feature in an international publication will aid in raising awareness in our research outside of the UK."