Smart Socket Sensor System
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Validation of the Smart Socket Sensor System for Amputee Ambulation Measurements
IRAS ID
177122
Contact name
Alison McGregor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The Smart Socket system developed in the MSk Laboratory at Charing Cross Hospital is a lightweight, wireless, unobtrusive and cost effective pressure sensitive lower limb prosthetic socket. A grid of pressure sensors embedded into the socket allow pressure maps to be made of an individual’s residual limb-to-prosthetic limb interface while the limb is in use during regular daily activities. A Bluetooth module within the socket in combination with a smart-phone application presents a portable means of real time data collection for offline analysis at a later time.
The long term goal of the project is to enable highly accurate and cost effective gait analysis for prosthetists to enable them to make changes to socket design based on precise quantifiable data and to provide patients with a self-monitoring system to detect and mitigate the effect of poor socket fit or poor gait patterns. The system is capable of real world patient monitoring and will enable both local and distance health checks.
This study will serve to validate the Smart Socket system as a viable and accurate measure of the patient-to-prosthesis interaction during regular activities. The study will aim to demonstrate that the Smart Socket system can collect data to a high degree of accuracy in real time for a cheap and accessible financial investment.
The study will involve transtibial amputees recruited from both the NHS and Headley Court and will require them to perform several activities such as walking, standing from a seated position and climbing stairs whilst wearing a Smart Socket device. Vicon optical motion tracking markers will allow a comparison of Smart Socket data with observable gait patterns. The results of this study will provide a mechanism for critical assessment in the future development of the Smart Socket system.
Lay summary of study results: This study established that it was feasible to embed pressure sensor within and amputee socket and produced a prototypes sensor set and associated dashboard to present the results to clinicians.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1633
Date of REC Opinion
16 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion