Master's Projects

Series

Master's Projects

Permanent Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1853/71003

Series Type

Publication Series

Full item page

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8

Friendship Village Final Studio Presentation

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-12-03) Anderson, Claudius ; Arkin, Chelsea ; Blaiklock, Philip ; Branum, Cassie ; Caimbeul, David ; Drake, Thomas ; Collums, Joe ; Conville, Lane ; Dagenhart, Richard ; Doyle, Jessica ; Drake, Thomas ; Duong, Binh ; Leigh, Nancey Greene ; Kovacheva, Maria ; Lawrence, Nathan ; Finkelstein, Aria Ritz ; Skach, John ; Tucker, Tasheika

The Friendship Village group had the charge of advising a large-scale land developer on directions for promoting sustainability in the plans for a 210 acre multi-use project in south Fulton County, Georgia. Their work included site design recommendations modeled after traditional town centers in ten case studies but also included innovative open space and stormwater management proposals and ideas about educational and health care facilities. The diverse professional audience expressed admiration and the developer’s lead representative indicated that results exceeded her expectations.
Frontal Plane Characteristics of Multi-Axis Feet: A Test Method for Evaluation and Effect of Shoes on Foot Performance

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-23) Gaw, Stephen

Introduction: The purpose of this project is to analyze the stiffness properties of multiaxis prosthetic feet in the frontal plane, and analyze the influence on mechanical testing of those feet when a shoe is worn. We hypothesize: (1) Stiffness properties of multiaxis feet in the frontal plane will vary significantly, and the feet will naturally divide into subcategories based on stiffness properties, and (2) Testing with shoes will influence the stiffness properties in the frontal plane of the multiaxis prosthetic foot. Methods: 6 multiaxis prosthetic feet (including dynamic response/multiaxis feet) were tested on an Instron materials testing machine. The feet underwent cyclic loading to simulate midstance phase of gait, and were loaded onto a range of inclines from 0° to 20°. The tests were repeated with a shoe added to the feet. A SACH foot was also tested for comparison purposes. Results: There was significant variability among the feet when tested barefoot. The SACH foot displayed a lower stiffness than 3 of the multiaxis feet at all inclines. Statistical analysis showed there were natural divisions among the feet according to stiffness data. When the feet were tested with a shoe, the stiffness decreased for all feet in all conditions, although the magnitude of the change varied by foot. Natural divisions among feet were also present when tested with a shoe, but the divisions were different than when tested barefoot. Discussion: The results showed that stiffness properties among multiaxis feet did vary, and the feet did divide themselves naturally. When tested with a shoe, stiffness decreased for all feet in all conditions. Limitations of this study include anonymity of feet, variability of shoes, and small aspect of gait cycle.
Natural Progression of Non-Synostotic Plagiocephaly

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-23) Spragg, Rebecca

Background. Despite having a good understanding of the causes and treatment for deformational plagiocephaly, the need for treatment has yet to be determined conclusively. The purpose of this study was to determine the natural progression of non-synostotic plagiocephaly in children between the ages of 18 and 48 months. The study also aimed to determine parent impressions about the current head shape of children with untreated deformational plagiocephaly. Methods. A survey and follow-up scan were completed for twenty-two children diagnosed with deformational plagiocephaly of severity level 3 or higher who declined orthotic treatment. Subjects were between the ages of 18 and 48 months at the time of the study. Cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI), cephalic ratio (CR), and severity level were compared from the initial diagnosis scan and the current scan. Results. Of the 22 subjects, 17 showed an improvement in CVAI, with an average decrease of 1.6%. CR had an average decrease of 4%. Parents perceived the head shape to have "improved" in 14, "stayed the same" in 6, and were unsure of any change in 4 subjects. Parents were "very satisfied" in 11, "somewhat satisfied" in 6, and "not very" satisfied in 5 subjects. Conclusions. Although there was a decrease in CVAI, it was not large enough to move subjects into a non-treatment severity level. 77% of subjects would still be recommended for orthotic treatment based on their current head shape. Parents are satisfied with the current shape of their children's heads despite any asymmetry that may still be present.
The Effect Of Prosthesis Suspension On Residual Limb Pistoning

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-23) Balogh, Austin

The main goal of transtibial prosthesis suspension is to minimize residual limb motion within the prosthesis. Poor suspension can lead to negative outcomes in prosthetic treatment, and may have a great impact on the mobility of an amputee. Prior research on this topic has focused on measuring pistoning by radiographic imaging of the residual limb in positions of simulated gait. Several suspension methods have previously been compared, but there is limited research on elevated vacuum suspension method. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of elevated vacuum suspension, standard suction with an expulsion valve, and knee sleeve suspension on residual limb pistoning. Five persons with unilateral transtibial amputations were recruited to participate in this study. Each subject was fit with a custom prosthesis that was easily converted between suspension methods. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry DEXA scans were taken of the subjects' limb in the prosthesis under three different loading conditions to determine the amount of pistoning. Pistoning was measured as the difference between the half body weight loaded condition and the 44.5 N distraction force condition for each suspension. There was no statistical significance between the suspension methods determined using a repeated measures within subjects ANOVA. Future research should include addition of more subjects to increase the power and significance of this work. Another logical step would focus on measuring pistoning during dynamic activity.
Evaluation of Alignment Methods for Transtibial Prostheses

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-16) Malkush, Missy

There are an estimated 3-4 million amputees in need of a prosthesis in developing countries. These people are unlikely to receive prosthetic limbs due to remote living conditions, finances, and few providers of care. The monolimb is considered appropriate prosthetic technology for developing countries. The monolimb is made of fewer components, more affordable, durable, and appropriate for prosthetic outreach missions because it can be delivered on an initial fit. Appropriate alignment of the monolimb must be captured prior to fabrication because the prosthesis is not modular. Objective- To determine if an alignment method based on patient measurements produces a more appropriately aligned prosthesis than traditional bench alignment (TRAD). The alternative alignment methods included the vertical alignment axis (VAA) and anatomical based alignment (ABA). Methods- 8 transtibial amputees, 8 students of prosthetics, and 2 prosthetists per amputee-student pair participated in the study. The student bench aligned 3 sets of endo components for the amputee according to each alignment method. The prosthetists dynamically aligned the 3 prostheses for each amputee. The magnitude of change from bench to dynamic alignment was determined by quantifying 6 alignment parameters. Results- No significant differences were found between the 3 different alignment methods. Future Directions- Control the student variable to test the accuracy of the alignment methods. Control the amputee variable to test how little training is necessary to appropriately align a prosthesis with the 3 alignment methods.
Lower Limb Joint Forces in Transtibial Amputees during Cycling

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-16) Jones, Laura
Testing the Skin Interrogation Device

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-09) Alexander, John D.

The purpose of this project was to perform a series of bench tests to evaluate particular aspects the Skin Interrogation Device (SID), a prototype instrument designed to measure the in-vivo mechanical properties of human skin. Among its many potential uses, the device may help to detect and monitor debilitating diseases and assess the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. (Objectives) A paucity of research has been conducted to assess the prototype's actual ability to measure mechanical properties. Therefore, this became a major objective of the current project, with two specific aims: (1) evaluate the prototype's ability to differentiate a range of materials, and (2) define the relationship between the prototype's output and known properties of the tested materials. (Methods) 12 different commercially available prosthetic liners were used as test materials, the properties of which have been reported in detail by Sanders et al, 2004. Each liner was tested under tightly controlled conditions using the SID and a bench-top positioning device. (Results) A one-way ANOVA and subsequent Tukey posthoc tests revealed that the SID prototype was able to successfully differentiate 55 of 66 (83%) pairs of liner comparisons (a = 0.05). Linear regression analysis for the relationship between the device output and the liners' reported shear modulus properties yielded an R value of 0.834. (Conclusions) First, changes in the measurements from the prototype SID do indeed appear to reflect actual changes in the stiffness properties of tested materials. Second, the prototype does indeed seem capable of differentiating materials that have differences in these stiffness properties. (Future Work) In the future, tests of physical models with incremental property variations will help further the understanding of the device's sensitivity to changes in human skin. Also, human subject trials will further validate the device's utility in the clinical setting.
Kinematic Effects of Sloped Surfaces on Shank Angle for Persons with Drop Foot

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-04-09) Carnahan, Kristin

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) was introduced in 1961 by Liberson as an alternative to the Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) for treating drop foot. The common peroneal nerve can be stimulated to create dorsiflexion in the swing phase of walking and allow toe clearance of the affected limb. The most difficult aspect of this concept for functional use has been the control of stimulation timing. Dai introduced the concept of incorporating a tilt sensor in 1996. The tilt sensor can be calibrated so that a stimulation of the peroneal nerve will occur when the shank angle has reached its most positive value, which occurs at toe off. The stimulation can be reliably attained in this way if the shank angle at toe off is relatively consistent. On a flat surface, this has proven to work well (Stein 2006, Kim 2004, Weiler 1999) in devices with tilt sensors, such as the Walk Aide (Innovative Neurotronics). This study will examine the impact of a sloped surface on the shank angle and therefore on the reliability of the tilt sensor for stimulation control. If this maximum shank angle is reduced on an inclined or declined surface, a stimulation may not occur based on the tilt sensor input. The hypothesis is that a significant difference will exist between shank angle at toe off on inclined and declined surfaces when compared to the shank angle at toe off on a flat surface. Seven subjects were recruited from the Atlanta area who have unilateral drop foot and currently utilize a Walk Aide device. Shank angle at toe off was measured for each subject on three different surfaces using kinematic data from the Vicon motion analysis system. The three surfaces were flat, a 4.8 degree ramp, and a 9.6 degree ramp. Results indicate that the shank angle at toe off was significantly lower when walking up both ramps compared to the shank angle at toe off on the flat surface (p<0.05). No significant differences were found when walking down the ramps. When wearing the Walk Aide, preliminary observations indicate that a stimulation is less likely to occur on the inclined surfaces when compared to the flat or declined surfaces.