ARDI - PROSTHETICS

PROSTHETICS INNOVATIONS

Enabling intelligent design choices and evaluation of socket fit

Developing novel sensors to measure pressure at the skin and at the socket

Automating socket production to quickly manufacture custom sockets according to the patient’s needs

Optimizing fiber orientation and usage to improve fit

Increasing socket lifetime and comfort by modifying resin chemistry

Advanced Materials for Better Performance and Comfort

Loss of one or more extremities is a common warfighter injury. Returning these casualties to as normal a standard of life as possible is a top priority for all concerned. This includes ARDI, who has become a recognized leader in advancing state of the art prosthetics design through the use of advanced composite materials. ARDI’s solution is lighter, easier to maneuver, and more durable. This means less adjustment and fewer replacements, which equates to improved comfort and lower cost.

Advanced Materials Prosthsetics

The Road Ahead for Prosthetics

To assist DoD in setting their prosthetic investment strategy, ARDI and the Composite Manufacturing Technology Center hosted a groundbreaking workshop that brought together experts in the field of prosthetics and orthotics from Walter Reed, leading prosthetic manufacturers, and academia. DoD veteran amputees were also present. Since gatherings of the prosthetics community are rare, the workshop provided an avenue to gather input from existing prosthetic users as well as manufacturers who supply prosthetic devices.

In addition, the prosthetics community agreed that much of their practice has historically been an art form that is now ready for a more scientific approach. The workshop identified several potential projects which can initiate a more systematic approach to designing and fabricating customized prosthetic systems for amputee soldiers.

In the short term, they will enable development of new tools for prosthetists to use. These include a system of dynamic models which can track the load transfer between the external prosthetic and the internal skeleton, and the development of composite systems which can be easily modified locally to increase the comfort of these composites sockets.