A Prototype Thermoregulator for Prosthetic Socket Microenvironments in a Low-resourced Setting
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Background
Thermal discomfort significantly hinders consistent prosthesis use among amputees, particularly in low-resource settings like Ghana, where conventional sockets often lead to passive heat accumulation and associated skin issues.
Methods
A convection-based thermoregulator prototype was developed using widely available, open-source components. The system was integrated into a hard transtibial prosthetic socket with four strategically drilled ventilation holes. A rigorous bench-top experiment was conducted, employing a standardized heat gun to apply a consistent thermal load for 14 minutes, followed by a 26-minute cooling phase. Two identical setups were tested for direct comparison. Performance was evaluated and quantitative analysis of cooling rates using exponential decay models.
Results
The active thermoregulator demonstrated superior cooling, reducing the experimental socket temperature from its peak to below the 35°C comfort threshold in approximately 8 minutes, achieving a total reduction of 13.9°C at an average rate of 0.53°C/min over the 26-minute cooling phase. In contrast, the control group exhibited a slower, natural cooling, with a total reduction of 6.5°C at an average rate of 0.25°C/min. Quantitative analysis of cooling constants confirmed the active system’s rate (k=0.01/min) was 2.5 times greater than natural convection (k=0.004/min). These findings establish the fundamental feasibility of an active, convection-based thermoregulator for prosthetic sockets.
Conclusion
The prototype effectively demonstrates the ability to actively dissipate heat, offering a significant improvement over passive cooling.
