Key Takeaways of the Webinar Making Orthoses & Prostheses Smart

Three field experts got together to teach the public everything about active wearables:

• Roland Auberger, Research Engineer at Ottobock, the world’s leading partner in orthoses, prostheses, and wheelchairs.
• Geert-Jos van der Maazen, Tutor and Medical Technology Researcher at Fontys University in the Netherlands.
• Guus de Hoog, Creative Director at Elitac Wearables.

• The world of wearable technology can be used as a great source of inspiration for innovations and possibilities in orthoses and prostheses.
• Making orthoses smart means adding technology to implement extra functionality or simply collecting data and applying this information.
• Wearable technology allows for new functionality through the seamless integration of sensors, electrodes, cables (even elastic) and hardware.

• Measuring movement with IMUs (inertial measurement units) gives insight into the quality and range of movement of the patient.

   

• Providing remote guidance or even therapy to a user, even if there is no therapist present.

   

• Orthoses are supported by direct or post-usage feedback in software, VR, or haptic feedback (vibrational feedback on the body).

   

• Safer and faster rehabilitation can be enhanced by integrating EMG (electromyography) and EMS (electronic muscle stimulation) electrodes for sensing muscle activation.

   

• Adaptive and active compression. This way, the patient always has the right pressure for the treatment, regardless of swelling, for example.

   

• The integration of light therapy for the improvement of blood circulation and cells’ life.

• New fitting and production processes, such as 3D scanning, printing and pressure and shear force measurements, even in the socket, during use.

   

• Gait analysis and (direct) feedback on movement, helping the prosthesis user to learn to walk again and to move with ease.

   

• Human-machine-operated prostheses make use of the nervous system and microcontrollers to operate.