Sensor Architectures and Technologies for Upper Limb 3D Surface Reconstruction: A Review

Abstract

3D digital models of the upper limb anatomy represent the starting point for the design process of bespoke devices, such as orthoses and prostheses, which can be modeled on the actual patient’s anatomy by using CAD (Computer Aided Design) tools. The ongoing research on optical scanning methodologies has allowed the development of technologies that allow the surface reconstruction of the upper limb anatomy through procedures characterized by minimum discomfort for the patient. However, the 3D optical scanning of upper limbs is a complex task that requires solving problematic aspects, such as the difficulty of keeping the hand in a stable position and the presence of artefacts due to involuntary movements. Scientific literature, indeed, investigated different approaches in this regard by either integrating commercial devices, to create customized sensor architectures, or by developing innovative 3D acquisition techniques. The present work is aimed at presenting an overview of the state of the art of optical technologies and sensor architectures for the surface acquisition of upper limb anatomies. The review analyzes the working principles at the basis of existing devices and proposes a categorization of the approaches based on handling, pre/post-processing effort, and potentialities in real-time scanning. An in-depth analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the approaches proposed by the research community is also provided to give valuable support in selecting the most appropriate solution for the specific application to be addressed.

Design and custom fabrication of specialized orthoses for the upper-limb stabilization in childhood dyskinesia

“…The main advantage of the procedure is that it allows creating an anatomically customized device even for dynamic conditions, without ever forcing the subject into a fixed position for a long time, which is the main limitation of other fabrication options (manual forming of the shells on the limb or even using conventional 3D scanners that require longer holding times, depending on the setup). 21 The possibility to use a tool, already used in clinics for other purposes, gives the method the added value to be widely applicable and usable directly in the hospital setting, without the necessity to bring patients to other sites.…”

Synthesising Computational Design Methods for a Human-Centred Design Framework

“…Figure 5 maps the methodological model for micro level computation efforts. As shown, the process is much less linear and involves looped exchanges of bespoke data that has been established from empirical human factors analysis -this could be emotional responses to certain form elements (see Bar & Neta, 2006) or ergonomics and usability data derived from physical testing or data capture such as 3D scanning or motion capturing (Paoli et al, 2020 reviewed several relevant technologies). Crucially, this block of bespoke data fundamentally changes the "culture" of the operation as the critical assumption is that subjective psycho-social factors will play a role in how the end product will interact with the human world; the design outcome is not partitioned from direct human influence.…”

Research Progress of Rehabilitation Orthoses Based on 3D Printing Technology

“…Due to the manufacture of rehabilitation orthoses only needs the contour information of the body surface, the handheld device has the characteristics of simple operation and fast data collection speed. Terefore, it has been widely used in the design of rehabilitation orthoses [37]. Meng et al [38] scanned the patient's ankle joint with an optical scanner, imported the scan data, and constructed the ankle joint model through Geomagic Studio modeling for visual imaging (Figure 22).…”