Design of an orthopedic smart splint using nickel-titanium shape memory alloy

Abstract

People with broken bones suffer from symptoms of muscular atrophy as a result of a lack of movement, so it was necessary to find effective solutions due to the relative pain they cause and the difficulty of movement after healing. In this paper, we proposed a smart splint made of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMA) wires. These alloys have unique properties compared to other materials, the most important of which is maintaining the original shape during manufacturing at a certain temperature. Temperature, pressure, as well as humidity, were analyzed and monitored while the patient wore the splint to reach the best possible results by using a microcontroller. The results showed that there was a significant improvement for the muscles in a short time when using the proposed splint, as the percentage of qualified muscle recovery increased by more than 70% when using the usual splint. The wires used had an effective role in rehabilitating these muscles by performing a permanent local massage. due to the different diameters of these wires, a different response to temperature change was recorded.