Dr. Izzy Moore, Ingrid Murphy. Aidan Taylor, Laurie Needham
This project aims to develop a prototype that produces haptic feedback to end users during post-surgery lower limb rehabilitation. The prototype could then be used to facilitate how individuals re-learn habitual movements, such as walking, during surgery rehabilitation.
Altered movement patterns are a significant risk factor to ACL re-injury and have been identified during daily living activities (e.g. walking, stair climbing) and sporting activities (e.g. landing, running) (Gokeler et al., 2013). In particular, the knee movement pattern is altered during walking and can be easily targeted with our developed device.
The most commonly used biofeedback during rehabilitation is visual and requires the use of a motion analysis laboratory
(Kiefer et al., 2015).
Few studies have examined providing haptic feedback to the lower limb, in particular to post-surgery rehabilitation (Shull et al., 2014). A haptic feedback prototype system developed and pilot tested on lower limb amputees (Fan et al,.2008) concluded that supplemental tactile information provided by haptic feedback systems improved gait and function in lower limb amputees, while the proposal address similar concerns we propose a different technological approach by using more advanced sensors and actuators including IMU’s and Wifi.
This project was supported by a Cardiff Metropolitan Interdisciplinary REIF grant. A prototype was built Aidan Taylor and members of the Fashion team while in Tiree and the prototype was subsequently tested for fidelity by Dr Moore within the biomechanic laboratory.
Academic Conference Dissemination:
‘Space and the Transdisciplinary Ethos of FabCre8’ I Murphy CAA Conference Los Angeles 2018