Towards an ontology for a smart and adaptive prosthesis service system framework

Abstract

Amputees face a number of challenges when acquiring and using a prosthesis, with major issues being the cost of the device, the time it takes for their custom prosthesis to be developed and delivered, as well as the challenges they face to get it regularly serviced and maintained. The other stakeholders involved, including the prosthetists and standard systems manufacturers, have a difficulty to collectively handle and resolve so many different issues that occur to the different amputees. A detailed analysis of these challenges was performed by our research team, and key relationships and interactions between these challenges and how they relate to the stakeholders were determined. Particular attention was given to the relationship between the amputee and their prosthesis. To further address these challenges, our research reported in this paper contributes an ontological model (titled The adProLiSS Ontological Model) to address these challenges. Our adProLiSS Ontological Model is the backbone from which key up-to-date data may be collected from a smart prosthesis and securely transmitted to a Prosthesis Digital Twin Model, where the data will be processed and converted into useful information that the stakeholder (e.g. prosthetist and/or amputee) can use. By having this information at hand at any given point in time, the health of the amputee and their prosthesis can be monitored, maintained and adapted. This will allow the amputee to an aftercare service and prosthesis that continually adapts to their ever-changing needs.