Strain Mapping in Carbon-Fiber Prosthesis Using Optical Fiber Sensors

This letter presents the utilization of optical fiber Bragg grating sensors for strain mapping of carbon fiber reinforced polymer below-knee prosthesis at different positions. Optical fiber sensors embedded within the prosthetic structure have a minimal impact on the design and enable real-time monitoring of the structure deformation. Tests were performed with a volunteer who is not amputated using a mechanical adaptor. The results obtained show the deformation of the mechanical structure of the prosthesis at different points, which can be helpful to record training sessions, detect material failures, or study ground reaction forces during periodic evaluations.