Predictive Modelling Study of Prosthetic-Socket Temperature Evolution

Abstract

Liner material selection plays a critical role in the overall well-being and quality of life of lower-limb prosthesis users. More than half of lower-limb prosthesis users report thermal-related issues due to prosthetic liner materials necessitating the optimisation of material selection for improved heat dissipation. Recent research efforts to improve heat dissipation and moisture mitigation indicate that liner design and material optimization remain crucial in the heat dissipation process within the prosthesis. In this study, a data-driven, predictive modelling approach is proposed to evaluate and optimize liner material selection and aid thermal discomfort solution efforts. A 3600-point prosthetic socket temperature dataset was collected under realistic ambient conditions using ANSYS CFD simulations. These data were then processed through a modelling pipeline comprising data preprocessing and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) Forecasting. The ARIMA model forecast, using the 3600-point data, showed an appropriate initial heating phase followed by stabilization at approximately 30℃. This demonstrates a plausible long-term temperature trajectory, which is crucial for material selection and thermal comfort optimization in prosthetic applications.