Participants Sought for Study of Prosthesis Socket Ultrasonic Fitment Tool

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The Mechatronics and Robotics Research Laboratory (MRRL) in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, in collaboration with FTL Labs, is seeking people with above-knee or above-elbow amputation to test a new prototype ultrasound fitment tool.

Eligible candidates are men or women between 18 and 69 years old who use a prosthesis daily. Candidates should be free from any other debilitating medical conditions.

Participants will spend a total of about two hours in the Biomechanics Lab on campus and will be asked to wear motion sensors on their body while wearing their normal prosthesis and performing daily tasks such as walking, standing or lifting their affected limb. Participants will be compensated $100 per actual test session.

Andrew LaPre, a researcher in MRRL, says, “How well a prosthesis is able to rehabilitate someone depends greatly on the quality of how it connects to the user’s body. We are developing new tools designed to guide the fabricator of these interfaces, allowing them to monitor the fit quality in real-time with 3D computer graphics. This real-time feedback will help to reliably create a comfortable and efficient fit.”

This work is supported by the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Persons interested in participating in the study should contact Frank Sup, 413/545-2946, sup@umass.edu.