Stiffness Measuring Device for Human Limb

Abstract

This paper is about the development of a device that is used for measuring the viscoelastic properties of an amputee. It consists of 6 force and position controllable actuators that surround the residual limb. The stiffness data were collected from 24 sensors that include the capacitive touch sensor, load cell, motor encoder, and the limit switch. myRio microcontroller is used to drive the stiffness measuring device and for the data acquisition. The compliance data collected from the device is mapped on the 3D model software for the development of prosthetic sockets. These statistics are used for making customize prosthesis that is more comfortable for the amputee. At the four distinct anatomical locations (mid-tibia, patellar-tendon, fibula head, and posterior mid) of limb, force and displacement data is collected, and at the end force-versus deflection curves are plotted to determine the stiffness behavior at different nodes, demonstrating the accuracy and versatility of the stiffness measuring device for tissue characterization.