Inspiration
As a research student at a local hospital, I witnessed and was often a part of the prosthetics creation process. The most painstaking part of this process was creating the mould or 3D representation of the residual limb. There were two key methods they went about doing this, each with huge user experience issues:
Fitting plaster around the patient's residual limbs: This is a painstakingly long process and can be uncomfortable for the patient as it requires them to sit still for extended periods, which can be difficult for young patients and those with mental disabilities. Furthermore, the effectiveness of this method is dependent on the skill and precision of the moulder.
3D scanning: While an improvement over the previous method, the IR/LiDAR scanners used for this process are expensive and hard to come by at a local hospital. Furthermore, many sensors flash lights at the patient which can be life-threatening for epileptic patients.
Both methods require patients to regularly visit the clinic. Visits are more frequent for children, as they quickly outgrow their prosthetics. This can be a nuisance and an outright blocker for people who are not close to these clinics, and it has been proven to increase the likelihood of prosthetic abandonment.
What it does
That's where Pocket Prosthetic comes in. My solution makes use of the LiDAR sensor available on most iPhones today. This app allows patients to submit LiDAR scans, images, and other necessary information defined by the clinic for their patient about their residual limb and prosthetic requirements directly from their phones. This data is sent to the clinic for prosthetic generation. This approach significantly reduces the need for frequent clinic visits, making the process more accessible and convenient for patients, especially those who live far from medical facilities.
How I built it
The app was developed using Swift for iOS, leveraging the LiDAR capabilities of modern iPhones to capture precise 3D models of the residual limb. The TypeScript backend is designed to handle the upload and processing of these scans, ensuring they are available to prosthetists for review and prosthetic design. The backend is hosted on AWS, and all data is stored on S3 and MySQL.
Challenges I ran into
One of the major challenges was ensuring the accuracy and usability of the LiDAR scans. Making sure that the app could handle different lighting conditions and patient positions was critical. Additionally, I had to address privacy concerns and ensure that all patient data was securely transmitted and stored.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
I'm proud of creating a solution that can potentially revolutionize the prosthetics creation process. By reducing the need for frequent clinic visits and making the scanning process more comfortable and accessible, I believe this app can greatly improve the quality of life for patients requiring prosthetics.
What I learned
I learned a great deal about the intricacies of 3D scanning and how to optimize the use of LiDAR sensors in mobile devices. Additionally, working on this project deepened my understanding of patient privacy concerns and the importance of secure data handling in medical applications.
What's next for Pocket Prosthetic
Next, I plan to expand the app's capabilities to include more detailed patient records and integration with healthcare providers' systems. I also aim to refine the scanning process further and possibly extend support to other mobile devices equipped with advanced sensors. Collaboration with prosthetists to gather feedback and improve the app's functionality will be a continuous process.
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