Comfort level discussion for prosthetic sockets with different fabricating processing conditions.

BACKGROUND: In the past, manufacture of prosthetic socket by using traditional handmade method not only consumed research time but also required a special assembly approach. Recently, reverse engineering and rapid prototype technology have grown up explosively, and thus, provide a choice to fabricate prosthetic socket. METHODS: Application 3D computer aided design and manufacturing (computer-aided design/computer-aided engineering) tools approach the surface shape stump data is digitized and can be easily modified and reused. Collocation investigates gait parameters of prosthetic socket, and interface stress between stump and socket with different processing conditions. Meanwhile, questionnaire was utilized to survey satisfaction rating scale, comfort level, of subjects using this kind of artificial device. RESULTS: The main outcome of current research including gait parameters, stress interface and satisfaction rating scale those would be an informative reference for further studies in design and manufacture as well as clinical applications of prosthetic sockets. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that, regardless of the method used for socket fabrication, most stress was concentrated in tibia end pressure-relief area. This caused discomfort in the area of tibia end to the participant wearing prosthesis. This discomfort was most evident in case when the prosthetic socket was fabricated using RE and RP.

Fuzzy logic automatic control of the Phoenix-7 total artificial heart.

Automatic physiological control of the pneumatic Phoenix-7 total artificial heart (TAH) occupies a pivotal position for clinical application of the device. We developed a fuzzy logic automatic control algorithm for the Phoenix-7. The object of the automatic control system is to regulate the cardiac output at a level desirable for the given preload. The system uses cardiac output-type fuzzy pressure control combined with expert knowledge, most of which is of the form "If condition, then action." As a demonstration of the utility of the control algorithm, the effects of inlet air pressures, aortic pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, and heart rate on the cardiac output were analyzed. In addition, an in vitro experiment was carried out that verified good performance of the control algorithm. This fuzzy logic control algorithm possesses the potential for totally automatic operation, eliminating any need for manual intervention under variable hemodynamic conditions.

Flow study on a newly developed impeller for a left ventricular assist device.

Nowadays, left ventricular assist devices are usually designed as high-speed, electric, rotary blood pumps. The pump drains blood from the left ventricular apex via an inlet cannula and ejects into the aortic root via an outlet conduit. To develop a high-performance pump, the present study utilizes partial differential equations to generate a surface representation of the impeller of the blood pump. Flow analysis around the impeller is performed by using the finite volume method to solve the fully incompressible three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations along with the k-epsilon turbulence model. The numerical results highlight flow features in the end-wall region of the pump, namely the clearance leakage cross-flow, and the vortex associated with this leakage. These secondary flows induce major energy losses in the pumping device. On the test study, a test loop was proposed to measure the performance characteristics. It was shown that the design would provide a flow rate of 4.4 l/min with a pressure head of 122 mmHg. The DC motor power under these conditions was about 6 W and the rotational speed was 4500 rpm. Both the flow rate and head can satisfy the demand for the left artificial heart to work normally.