A training tool for lower extremity amputees

Abstract People with a prosthetic limb miss a sense of touch at this particular part of their body. The work described in this paper focuses on providing people with a lower extremity amputation with an alternative sensory stimulus in order to help them experience what they can no longer feel. To gain insight in what this feedback should be, methods of measuring around a prosthetic lower leg were investigated in an iterative research through design process. The results indicated that it is possible to measure differences in the applied pressure underneath a prosthetic leg with a thin insole between the shoe and the foot. To provide feedback on the pressure difference during walking, vibrotactile feedback as well as audio feedback was tested with one, experienced user. Audio feedback was considered as the most fitting option in the context of a tool for training, because a wider range of information and subtleties can be communicated through this medium in a short time, and it can be adapted to different stages of skill acquisition. Audio feedback on their weight distribution can help users to improve their balance while walking and in learning how to load both legs with a proper amount of weight.