Publications

The fabrication of a prosthetic socket for a below-the-knee amputee requires knowledge of the underlying bone structure in order to provide pressure relief for sensitive areas and support for load bearing areas. The goal is to enable the residual limb to bear pressure with greater ease and utility. Conventional methods of prosthesis fabrication are based on limited knowledge about the patient`s underlying bone structure. A 3D ultrasound imaging system was developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The imaging system provides information about the location of the bones in the residual limb along with the shape of the skin surface. Computer assisted design (CAD) software can use this data to design prosthetic sockets for amputees. Ultrasound was selected as the imaging modality. A computer model was developed to analyze the effect of the various scanning parameters and to assist in the design of the overall system. The 3D ultrasound imaging system combines off-the-shelf technology for image capturing, custom hardware, and control and image processing software to generate two types of image data -- volumetric and planar. Both volumetric and planar images reveal definition of skin and bone geometry with planar images providing details on muscle fascial planes, muscle/fat interfaces, and blood vessel definition. The 3D ultrasound imaging system was tested on 9 unilateral below-the- knee amputees. Image data was acquired from both the sound limb and the residual limb. The imaging system was operated in both volumetric and planar formats. An x-ray CT (Computed Tomography) scan was performed on each amputee for comparison. Results of the test indicate beneficial use of ultrasound to generate databases for fabrication of prostheses at a lower cost and with better initial fit as compared to manually fabricated prostheses.

In FY91, the Intelligent Machines Technologies Group at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) developed a robotic prototype system that automates the removal of nuclear material from gloveboxes (called bagout) at Rocky Flats Plant (RFP). This work was funded by RFP and the Office of Security and Safeguards (OSS) at the Department of Energy (DOE) through the Facility Systems Engineering Department. With increasing concerns of dose reduction to meet ever-changing environmental, safety, and health (ES&H) standards, the need for an automated process to handle high-dose operations will increase. By removing the operators from the ``hands-on`` operation of bagout, the automated glovebox bagout (AGB) system reduces the dose. The automated platform uses a commercially available robot in combination with automated fixturing and computer control to provide a system that removes the material from the glovebox through the bag, seals the bag, and stores the bagged material into containers. Material waste is reduced by modifying the bagging process using an rf sealer instead of the conventional ``twist and tape`` method and by reducing the bag diameter used for bagout. Security and safeguards is achieved primarily by relieving the operator of handling the material. In addition, accountability for the special nuclear materials is achieved through verification of the procedure. Security measures designed against insider threat have also been developed.