Question: how do you make prosthetic legs?

Shruti Turner answered on 13 Mar 2019: last edited 14 Mar 2019 7:26 am

I personally don’t make the prosthetic limbs. I do the behind-the-scenes work to help design better ones. I’m designing a technology that monitors the pressure in the prosthetic that links to a web application which I’m making to monitor the fit of the prosthetic to improve the design for each individual.
There are lots of different types of prosthetic limbs, all made slightly differently. some are 3D printed, others are made with robotics so the computerised joints are made and programmed. To make the socket (the part that attaches to the body) a cast of the residual limb is made and then a socket it made with vacuum forming.
That’s just a very brief overview of them, there’s so much I’m not sure where to start in detail!!