ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR MEASURING DEFORMATIONS OF THE PYLON OF PROSTHETIC SYSTEMS

Abstract

This study presents the method of measuring deformation in the pylon part of the prosthesis using computerized strain gauges. Limb amputations are becoming an increasingly common problem worldwide as a result of the increase in traffic accidents and vascular-related diseases. The aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine and military operations significantly increased the number of patients with severe shrapnel injuries and limb amputations. Scientists of the "Biomedical Engineering" department of PSTU have already presented a number of developments and publications dedicated to the problem of modern prosthetics and this study is a continuation of this work. The strain gauge system consists of a strain gauge, an Arduino Uno type microcontroller, due to its cheapness and simple programming, a power bank for powering the system, and an LCD display. Data collection is carried out using an Arduino Uno microcontroller board. This research focuses on the development of simple deformation system methodologies for the rapid measurement of surface deformation of prosthetic parts. In this study, a pylon for the use of lower extremity prostheses is fabricated from strands of plastic fiber using a 3D printer. The size of the pylon is 30 mm in outer diameter with a length equal to 250 mm. The pylon is one of the important components of the prosthesis. When the patient uses a low-level prosthesis, the pylon will be subjected to load and stress due to the patient's weight. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the deformation value in order to know the mechanical behavior of the prosthetic part.The strain gauge is combined with a microcontroller system to register the value of the deformation of the prosthetic pylon. The test experiment was carried out under the load of the patient's weight while walking or moving. The given data indicate a small discrepancy between calculated and experimental data - about 3%. As a result, it can be stated that the developed electronic system for measuring the deformations of the pylon of prosthetic systems is accurate and can be used to replace the analytical calculation when choosing prostheses for patients.