The human being may no longer be reduced to the bounds of organic matter. An organism – a life form constructed from interdependent components that maintain various vital processes – may now reach beyond the limits of biological materials. Beyond the skin, thumbs, eyes, and organs of the average human being, we may notice the mutually dependent system of parts, functioning simultaneously as autonomous and interconnected components. These organic systems are now capable of fusing with foreign systems that help maintain the vitality of the macroscopic system – the human. Between human and machine, recent advancements in technology and prosthetic designs have enabled humans to graft with mechanized and computerized systems, challenging the preconception of what it is to be human. The advanced prosthesis has become an integrated extension of the human body. This realization begs the question: how intimate can architecture become? Pros+Tithenai analyzes the body’s imposition on space - transforming, manipulating, conforming to the void – and the equivalent imposition of space on the body. Pros+Tithenai examines how the human body unfolds in the creases between architecture, biology, engineering, cybernetics, psychology, and emerges reassembled.

This thesis is a development project for a myoelectric prosthetic hand. That means a mechanical hand that is controlled and actuated by the user's own muscles on the residual limb. The thesis has led to a theoretical concept of a complete prosthesis and a non-complete physical prototype that provides proof of concept and functions. The thesis was as a means of providing the mechanical development of an alternative model of the prosthesis that is more functional and has the ability to offer the users a lower price than current models. The foundation of the project is that the development has been done on a user needs basis. This leads to customer requirements that are derived from the users themselves. The development begun with a wide research to obtain user feedback as well as technical data of different mechanical solutions. The focal point of the thesis is the mechanical aspect of the prosthetic while the electronic and sensory systems were implemented with the use of standardized components.

abstract: Robotic joints can be either powered or passive. This work will discuss the creation of a passive and a powered joint system as well as the combination system being both powered and passive along with its benefits. A novel approach of analysis and control of the combination system is presented. A passive and a powered ankle joint system is developed and fit to the field of prosthetics, specifically ankle joint replacement for able bodied gait. The general 1 DOF robotic joint designs are examined and the results from testing are discussed. Achievements in this area include the able bodied gait like behavior of passive systems for slow walking speeds. For higher walking speeds the powered ankle system is capable of adding the necessary energy to propel the user forward and remain similar to able bodied gait, effectively replacing the calf muscle. While running has not fully been achieved through past powered ankle devices the full power necessary is reached in this work for running and sprinting while achieving 4x’s power amplification through the powered ankle mechanism. A theoretical approach to robotic joints is then analyzed in order to combine the advantages of both passive and powered systems. Energy methods are shown to provide a correct behavioral analysis of any robotic joint system. Manipulation of the energy curves and mechanism coupler curves allows real time joint behavioral adjustment. Such a powered joint can be adjusted to passively achieve desired behavior for different speeds and environmental needs. The effects on joint moment and stiffness from adjusting one type of mechanism is presented. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2017

Introduction: There have not been any prosthetic feet available that can match an intact foot in functionality. Little focus has been on research on prosthetic foot performance in frontal plane motions and while most have investigated sagittal plane motions. Background: Normal gait is an artform of falling, thus the intact anatomical foot needs to be capable of handling a wide-range of environments. A prosthesis is an external helping aid for amputees, therefore they lack the ability to adapt to different environments. Most of the researches on prosthetic feet have focused on the sagittal plane, which has limited understanding and literature towards frontal plane motions. In this study a relatively new insole measuring system was used, Vebitosolution. The Vebitosolution insole has five separate sensors. It’s made from a flexible, specially shaped material to allow the sensors to measure independently, and measures both bending and torsional moments. Aim: The aim of the study to investigate if the Vebitosolution system is capable of measure torsional moments in frontal plane during straight line walk in two different types of prosthetic feet. Method: The participants were two transtibial amputees of that used the same size and category foot. They walked in a straight line with two different prosthetic feet. Results: There was a statistical significant difference (P < 0,05) for all measurements except for one (P > 0,05). Discussion: The results give indications that the Vebitosolution system is capable in differentiating between two different types of prosthetic feet. There are also indications of both product and gait specific gait pattern, but further researches are needed.  This research is limited by its sample size and amount of measurements performed. Conclusion: The take-away from this research is that the Vebitosolution system might be capable of measuring differences in frontal plane moments in two different types of prosthetic feet. / Inledning: Fram tills idag har det inte funnits en protesfot som kunnat matcha en intakt anatomisk fot. Det har lagts betydligt mindre fokus på hur väl en protesfots rörelse fungerar i frontal plan jämfört med i sagittal plan. Bakgrund: Normal gång är konsten att hindra från att falla och den anatomiska foten behöver anpassa sig till ett brett spektrum av miljöer för att upprätthålla balans. En protes är ett externt hjälpmedel, de som är amputerad saknar därför förmågan att anpassa sig till olika miljöer. Störst fokus har varit att granska protes fötter i sagittalplanet, och därför saknas förståelse och litteratur för rörelser i frontalplanet. I den här studien användes ett relativt nytt mätinstrumentssystem genom inlägg från Vebitosolution. Vebitosolution inlägget har fem separata sensorer och är tillverkad i ett flexibelt och specialformat material. Designen möjliggör att sensorerna mäter självständigt och mäter både böjnings- och vridmonent. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka om Vebitosolution systemet kan mäta vridmoment i frontplanet under gång i en rak linje för två olika typer av protes fötter. Metod: Studien har undersökt två deltagare vilka båda varit amputerade på transtibial nivå och som använt sig av samma storlek och kategori av fot. De båda gick i en rak linje med två olika protes fötter. Resultat: Undersökningen visade att det var statistiskt signifikant skillnad (P <0,05) för alla mätningar utom för en (P> 0,05). Diskussion: Resultaten ger indikationer att Vebitosolution systemet kan differentiera mellan två olika typer av protes fötter. Det finns också indikation att det finns både produkt- och användarspecifikt gångmönster, men ytterligare undersökningar behöver göras. Denna forskning är begränsad av dess stickprovstorlek och mängden mätningar som utförts. Slutsats: Slutsatsen från denna forskning är att det finns en indikation på att Vebitosolution systemet kan mäta skillnaden i frontplan med avseende på vridmoment för två olika typer av protes fötter.

This position paper outlines the important role of academia in shaping the orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) profession and preparing for its future. In the United States, most healthcare professions including O&P are under intense pressure to provide cost effective treatments and quantifiable health outcomes. Pivotal changes are needed in the way O&P services are provided to remain competitive. This will require the integration of new technologies and data driven processes that have the potential to streamline workflows, reduce errors and inform new methods of clinical care and device manufacturing. Academia can lead this change, starting with a restructuring in academic program curricula that will enable the next generation of professionals to cope with multiple demands such as the provision of services for an increasing number of patients by a relatively small workforce of certified practitioners delivering these services at a reduced cost, with the expectation of significant, meaningful, and measurable value. Key curricular changes will require replacing traditional labor-intensive and inefficient fabrication methods with the integration of newer technologies (i.e., digital shape capture, digital modeling/rectification and additive manufacturing). Improving manufacturing efficiencies will allow greater curricular emphasis on clinical training and education - an area that has traditionally been underemphasized. Providing more curricular emphasis on holistic patient care approaches that utilize systematic and evidence-based methods in patient assessment, treatment planning, dosage of O&P technology use, and measurement of patient outcomes is imminent. Strengthening O&P professionals' clinical decision-making skills and decreasing labor-intensive technical fabrication aspects of the curriculum will be critical in moving toward a digital and technology-centric practice model that will enable future practitioners to adapt and survive.

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Modern research in prosthetic devices and other assistivetechnologies are constantly pushing boundaries. Whilethe technology is impressive, it is still inaccessible for thegreater part of the people in need of it. Advanced devicesare often extremely expensive and require regularly maintenancefrom professionals. Enabling the Future is a globalnetwork of volunteers and was founded to face these problems.They design and 3D-print mechanical prosthetics forpeople in need all over the world.Most of the designs used by Enabling the Future are purelymechanical and do not implement motors. The purposeof this thesis was to take a new approach to the designand construction of low-cost motorized prosthetic hands.By distancing all the electronic components from the hand,including the motor, the project aimed to create a devicecompatible with all current designs of the Enabling the Futurecommunity.To conceptualize this approach a demonstrator was constructedand tested. It utilized a muscle sensor which allowedusers to control the hand by tightening their muscles.The distance between the electronic components andthe prosthetic hand measured approximately one and a halfmeters and still transfered enough force, from the motor tothe hand, to deliver an adequate grip strength. / Modern forskning inom protestillverkning och andrahandikapphjälpmedel gör kontinuerligt stora framsteg. Trotsatt tekniken är imponerade är den fortfarande otillgängligför den största del människor som behöver den. Avanceradehjälpmedel är ofta extremt dyra och kräver kontinuerligtunderhåll från yrkesverksamma. Enabling the Future,ett globalt nätverk av volontärer, grundades för att utmanadessa problem. De konstruerar och tillverkar 3D-skrivnamekaniska proteser för människor med behov över hela världen.De flesta konstruktioner som används av Enabling the Futureär helt mekaniska och använder inga motorer. Syftetmed detta kandidatexamensarbete var att med nya tillvägagångssättkonstruera en billig motoriserad handprotes.Genom att placera all elektronik på en distans från handen,inklusive motorn själv, var tanken att skapa ett systemsom är kompatibelt med de konstruktioner som Enablingthe Future använder.För att förverkliga detta konstruerades en prototyp somtestats. Prototypen använde sig av en muskelsensor somlät användaren kontrollera proteshanden genom att spännasin arm. Distansen mellan de elektriska komponenternaoch protesen var ungefär en och en halv meter, samtidigtsom tillräckligt stor kraft kunde transporteras för att stängahanden med ett tillräckligt grepp.

No description available.

Statement of the problem. Hypernasality resulting from velopharyngeal insufficiency or incompetency is a resonance disorder that has negative consequences for speech production and intelligibility of afflicted individuals. Purpose. The purpose of this prospective study is to ascertain if a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina, termed the Toronto Palatal Lift Prosthesis (TPLP), can assist velopharyngeal valve function to reduce hypernasality in patients. Methods. A prospective study of six patients treated with the TPLP was compared by the outcome measures of nasalance scores, perceptual evaluations, and patient satisfaction to those obtained using a contemporary acrylic palatal lift prosthesis. Results. The six patients had varying degrees of reduction in hypernasality and acceptance of the TPLP. Conclusion. On the basis of this preliminary study on the TPLP it is possible to fabricate a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina that reduces hypernasality in select patients.

Statement of the problem. Hypernasality resulting from velopharyngeal insufficiency or incompetency is a resonance disorder that has negative consequences for speech production and intelligibility of afflicted individuals. Purpose. The purpose of this prospective study is to ascertain if a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina, termed the Toronto Palatal Lift Prosthesis (TPLP), can assist velopharyngeal valve function to reduce hypernasality in patients. Methods. A prospective study of six patients treated with the TPLP was compared by the outcome measures of nasalance scores, perceptual evaluations, and patient satisfaction to those obtained using a contemporary acrylic palatal lift prosthesis. Results. The six patients had varying degrees of reduction in hypernasality and acceptance of the TPLP. Conclusion. On the basis of this preliminary study on the TPLP it is possible to fabricate a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina that reduces hypernasality in select patients.