Effects of Prosthetic Socket Design on Residual Femur Motion Using Dynamic Stereo X-Ray - A Preliminary Analysis

Individuals with transfemoral amputation experience relative motion between their residual limb and prosthetic socket, which can cause inefficient dynamic load transmission and secondary comorbidities that limit mobility. Accurately measuring the relative position and orientation of the residual limb relative to the prosthetic socket during dynamic activities can provide great insight into the complex mechanics of the socket/limb interface. Five participants with transfemoral amputation were recruited for this study. All participants had a well-fitting, ischial containment socket and were also fit with a compression/release stabilization socket. Participants underwent an 8-wk, randomized crossover trial to compare differences between socket types. Dynamic stereo x-ray was used to quantify three-dimensional residual bone kinematics relative to the prosthetic socket during treadmill walking at self-selected speed. Comfort, satisfaction, and utility were also assessed. There were no significant differences in relative femur kinematics between socket types in the three rotational degrees of freedom, as well as anterior-posterior and medial-lateral translation (p > 0.05). The ischial containment socket demonstrated significantly less proximal-distal translation (pistoning) of the femur compared to the compression/release stabilization socket during the gait cycle (p < 0.05), suggesting that the compression/release stabilization socket provided less control of the residual femur during distal translation. No significant differences in comfort and utility were found between socket types (p > 0.05). The quantitative, dynamic analytical tools used in the study were sensitive to distinguish differences in three-dimensional residual femur motion between two socket types, which can serve as a platform for future comparative effectiveness studies of socket technology.

A Cost-Efficient Software Based Router and Traffic Generator for Simulation and Testing of IP Network

The development was carried out using the Qt5.2 integrated development environment, which uses the programming language C++. The main advantage of this environment is that the code written in it can be compiled to different platforms (for example, Windows, Linux, Mac OS). A software router based on a modular architecture has been developed. It uses the socket technology, which allows forming a program-oriented packet network with any topology, including full-coupled topology. A network traffic generator to test the developed software router has been designed. We proposed a scheme to measure the packet processing time of a router using a specialized packet-capture network interface cards (NIC 1 and NIC 2) and a novel traffic generator installed on PC. Based on an experimental test bed we confirmed that our software router provides a cost-efficient alternative to the expensive, special hardware router CISCO 2801.

Comparison of selected network communication methods on the Android platform

This paper is devoted to comparing three communication methods between mobile applications and servers. The analysis encompassed the results of six tests conducted using HTTP and HTTPS protocols, and server-socket technology. All sending times of data with various sizes between the client application and the server, and the impact of this operation on the processor load and battery use, were evaluated. The experiments consisted of sending and receiving a form, sending and receiving a large photo, and ensuring continuous communication to assess device use. To perform the analyses, an Android application was created to support the researched technology, while the server side was composed of programs written in Java, running on a Tomcat server. The conducted research made it possible to establish the best solution, which is server-socket technology.

Minimizing Pain in Below Knee Amputees’ Patients Wearing Prosthetic Socket by Increasing Flexibility in Specific Relief Areas

Background: Pressure distribution for transtibial amputees (TTA) patients varies at the limb socket interface according to several factors. Although socket technology is getting more advanced, the majority of researchers are still facing problems with relief areas. Objectives: This study focused on the theoretical and experimental aspects of the design to figure out patients’ sensitivity to pain when wearing sockets. Relief areas were analyzed using data collected from patients’ centers and optimized under different static and dynamic conditions. Methods: Finite element trials and DOE optimization using Design Expert 8 software and analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that holes with relief areas are appropriates for lower extremities patients where scanning electron images (SEM) of the worn areas show direct relations between relieved sockets with holes at fibula head (FH) and patient lifestyle and activity. Clinical Relevance: A patient that moves rather slowly, as a result of old age or sedentary level of activity would greatly benefit from the FH socket hole implementation, and thus reduces the wear of socket materials after longer period of time and increases the level of comfort of patient skins. the interviews conducted were evident that patients endured pain at the PT and FH. Moreover, further studies were performed on the FH, and results revealed that lateral forces play a major role and is influenced by the lifestyle of the patient.

The Development of a Local Area Network Communication Software Based on Peer-to-Peer Mode

Compared with traditional client/server modes, peer-to-peer (P2P) mode has obvious advantages in eliminating the performance bottleneck of server and enhancing the utilization rate of network resources. Based on P2P technology, local area network (LAN) communication software was well designed in this paper. By using the support function of Java for multithreading technology and socket technology, P2P mode was adopted to realize various communication functions, such as LAN text message transmission, file transfer and voice transmission. Though processing multicast messages, the software can detect the login and logout status of LAN users. Proved by testing, this software can operate stably in a system environment installed with Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Research on the Internet of Things Network Experiment System Based on Virtual Instrument Technology

Aiming at the condition that laboratory instrument resource can not meet the demands of experimental teaching,management and upgrading because of shortage, decentralization, obsolescence and aging, therefore, a design proposal of network experiment system based on Lab VIEW is presented. The data transmission of tree modules which are virtual instruments, simulation and real time measure is achieved with application of Data at Socket technology and Remote Panels technology. Practical application shows that this system can reduce attrition rate of machines and improve the utilization efficiency of instruments and it has some other advantages including short development period, low cost, good compatibility, good extensibility and easy update for equipments. The network construction based on virtual instrument technology has broad prospects in industry and scientific experiment.

Vibration Platform Remote Monitoring System Based on LabVIEW

Vibration platform remote monitoring testing system, drived by tri-linear motor, makes use of PID Control Toolkit in LabVIEW to control the linear motor. It also uses a DAQ card named PCI 6229 from NI Company to capture digital signal from the motor encoder and collect the analog signals from the force sensor as well as output the driver signal of motor. Data Socket technology was used to achieve the remote motor control and data transmission.