{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/119592"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/119592","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"An ultrasonic sensing and indentation apparatus for assessment of tissue geometry and mechanical properties","abstract":"Measuring the distance from the skin to the bone and soft tissue mechanical properties is important to custom designing prosthetic sockets for amputee patients using a computer aided method. The current state-of-the-art method to obtain such information is via MRI scans. However, MRI scans are expensive, not widely accessible, and may not be as accurate if there is a time gap between when the MRI scan is taken and when the design process takes place. In this thesis, I designed and implemented a hand-held apparatus which measures both the skin-to-bone depth and soft tissue mechanical properties. With a PC interface, this method involves gathering and processing data from an ultrasound transducer, a force sensor, and an accelerometer. The procedure of use involves rotating the apparatus around the limb while maintaining a light contact to acquire skin-to-bone depth, and indenting the apparatus into the limb to acquire soft tissue mechanical properties. Here I show that a miniaturized apparatus as such can measure tissue boundaries and tissue indentation with sub-millimeter precision and out performs a commercial ultrasound imaging system in my case study, which makes custom computer prosthetic socket design easier, more affordable, and more accessible.","abstract_html":"Measuring the distance from the skin to the bone and soft tissue mechanical properties is important to custom designing prosthetic sockets for amputee patients using a computer aided method. The current state-of-the-art method to obtain such information is via MRI scans. However, MRI scans are expensive, not widely accessible, and may not be as accurate if there is a time gap between when the MRI scan is taken and when the design process takes place. In this thesis, I designed and implemented a hand-held apparatus which measures both the skin-to-bone depth and soft tissue mechanical properties. With a PC interface, this method involves gathering and processing data from an ultrasound transducer, a force sensor, and an accelerometer. The procedure of use involves rotating the apparatus around the limb while maintaining a light contact to acquire skin-to-bone depth, and indenting the apparatus into the limb to acquire soft tissue mechanical properties. Here I show that a miniaturized apparatus as such can measure tissue boundaries and tissue indentation with sub-millimeter precision and out performs a commercial ultrasound imaging system in my case study, which makes custom computer prosthetic socket design easier, more affordable, and more accessible.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Liu, Zixi, M. Eng. Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Hugh M. Herr."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017","date_published":"2017","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:15Z","subjects":["Electrical Engineering and Computer Science."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["MIT theses are protected by copyright. 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Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2017.","Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.","Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-171)."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Measuring the distance from the skin to the bone and soft tissue mechanical properties is important to custom designing prosthetic sockets for amputee patients using a computer aided method. The current state-of-the-art method to obtain such information is via MRI scans. However, MRI scans are expensive, not widely accessible, and may not be as accurate if there is a time gap between when the MRI scan is taken and when the design process takes place. In this thesis, I designed and implemented a hand-held apparatus which measures both the skin-to-bone depth and soft tissue mechanical properties. With a PC interface, this method involves gathering and processing data from an ultrasound transducer, a force sensor, and an accelerometer. The procedure of use involves rotating the apparatus around the limb while maintaining a light contact to acquire skin-to-bone depth, and indenting the apparatus into the limb to acquire soft tissue mechanical properties. Here I show that a miniaturized apparatus as such can measure tissue boundaries and tissue indentation with sub-millimeter precision and out performs a commercial ultrasound imaging system in my case study, which makes custom computer prosthetic socket design easier, more affordable, and more accessible."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["M. Eng."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An ultrasonic sensing and indentation apparatus for assessment of tissue geometry and mechanical properties"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Hugh M. Herr."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science."],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science."],"dc:creator":["Liu, Zixi, M. Eng. Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-12-11T21:07:40Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-12-11T21:07:40Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2017"],"dc:description":["Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2017.","Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.","Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-171)."],"dc:description.abstract":["Measuring the distance from the skin to the bone and soft tissue mechanical properties is important to custom designing prosthetic sockets for amputee patients using a computer aided method. The current state-of-the-art method to obtain such information is via MRI scans. However, MRI scans are expensive, not widely accessible, and may not be as accurate if there is a time gap between when the MRI scan is taken and when the design process takes place. In this thesis, I designed and implemented a hand-held apparatus which measures both the skin-to-bone depth and soft tissue mechanical properties. With a PC interface, this method involves gathering and processing data from an ultrasound transducer, a force sensor, and an accelerometer. The procedure of use involves rotating the apparatus around the limb while maintaining a light contact to acquire skin-to-bone depth, and indenting the apparatus into the limb to acquire soft tissue mechanical properties. Here I show that a miniaturized apparatus as such can measure tissue boundaries and tissue indentation with sub-millimeter precision and out performs a commercial ultrasound imaging system in my case study, which makes custom computer prosthetic socket design easier, more affordable, and more accessible."],"dc:description.degree":["M. Eng."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119592"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission."],"dc:rights.uri":["http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582"],"dc:subject":["Electrical Engineering and Computer Science."],"dc:title":["An ultrasonic sensing and indentation apparatus for assessment of tissue geometry and mechanical properties"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:15Z"}