*WINNER* Modeling and Prototyping of Artificial Knee Joint for Embedded Piezoelectric Transducers

Abstract

This won best undergraduate poster for Mechanical Engineering.

The focus of this project is improving patient experience for those with Total Knee Replacements (TKRs). While many knee replacements may last several years of normal function, approximately 15% fail within 2 years or require corrective surgery. This can be a painful and inconvenient experience for patients. Research is currently being done to study the behavior of TKR and to improve long term success rates. One direction that this research is taking at Tennessee Tech is embedding piezoelectric transducers into the TKR bearing component in order to monitor the state of the replacement. Significant progress has been made over the past three years to validate the concept of embedded sensing in TKR. This research specifically focuses on two aspects of the project; first, reverse engineering of an actual TKR assembly in order to create realistic 3D geometry, and second, fabrication of realistic knee prototypes for the purpose of experimentally testing knee implants with embedded piezoelectrics. The method by which true knee replacements are produced is expensive and not practical for testing purposes. As a result, new materials that replicate the original must be selected in order to reduce the cost of testing. In addition, this project will investigate the optimal method for producing the specific knee geometry as well as embed the piezoelectric transducers. This project once complete will be instrumental in advancing TKR research.