One problem of common prostheses is that, having no sensitivity, they get damaged when exposed to high temperatures, and in some cases they can even burn the user. To avoid this, a Mexican company called Protesa placed sensors in their prosthesis that warn when there is too much heat.
Another innovation in these prostheses is that they are made mostly from recyclable PET material, which makes them lighter, but with the ability to lift eight kilograms, said project leader Carlos Perez Roque, student of Engineering Mechatronics at the Technological University of Mexico (UNITEC) and CEO of Protesa.
“The temperature is calibrated to the human body, 35 degrees Celsius, to prevent a burn on the stump, if that amount is exceeded. The sensors distributed in the prosthesis’s hand and arm are connected to a device, which communicates through vibrations,” he said.
When the prosthesis receives heat, it transforms the thermal energy into electricity, making work the vibration motor located in the stump. When this happens, the hand closes automatically as a real protection reflex to avoid a burning.
Perez Roque specified that the current sensors measure 30 millimeters, and it is required to place 15 in the hand and 25 along the arm to give the prosthesis full sensitivity. For the moment, he said, there are four prototypes, which have undergone quality tests to assess mobility and sensitivity. After testing them with real users, and obtaining the certification of the Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS), Perez Roque will commercialize them.
Protesa’s aim is making economic prostheses accessible to people with limited resources, so they can do their daily activities. According to figures thrown National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), more and more patients need a prosthesis, however, they are costly and impossible to acquire for most population.
Source: Agencia ID
