BACKGROUND
Prosthetic limbs are typically mounted to the remnant limb via a sleeve, which are made from a variety of materials, but mostly from silicone elastomers. Unfortunately, these sleeves heat up the limb remnant and can lose grip as the temperature increases and sweating occurs. This problem is addressed via two approaches: medical treatments and breathable sleeves. Medical treatments involve therapies such as botulinum toxin injections, attempting to stop the limb remnant from sweating at all; this is incredibly expensive with mixed results and is not typically covered by health insurance. Current breathable sleeves are either inherently static, wherein the sleeve has grooves or holes for increased airflow, or controlled via complex mechanical functionality. The grooved sleeves provide breathability at the cost of decreased purchase on the limb remnant and no response to temperature fluctuations, and the high-tech limbs and sleeves require an ostentatiously expensive set of controllable materials. Currently there is a need for an affordable and effective way of addressing the breathability of prosthetic limb sleeves to increase the functionality and quality of life for amputees.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at OSU have developed a proof-of-concept smart material which has an adaptive pore diameter. The material uses liquid crystals elastomers, which enable the pores of the material to change size with temperature or other stimuli, such as light or electricity, depending on the elastomers. The manufacturing approach employed also allows for effectively unlimited material dimensionality and pore sizes. Since the tunability of the pores is an intrinsic property of the material, the pores will retain their “smart” nature at any size. Tunable sizing of pores enables this material to be used in many applications, especially artificial limb connective sleeves, for which breathability is a major issue. As skin temperature increases, the pore size will increase, allowing increased airflow and sweat evaporation, cooling the skin with an intrinsic property of the sleeve material instead of complex controls or further medical treatment.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Tunable pore sizes
- Temperature-induced breathability
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT