This project is initiated by Stan Buckens, a radiologist from the RadboudUMC, who believes in realizing passive four-dimensional (4D) CT scans for the wrist. At this moment the wrist is mainly scanned and reviewed statically in 3D. However, it is desirable to see what happens on a CT scan during movement (the fourth dimension) of the wrist, as many clinically significant, debilitating and painful wrist pathologies are dynamic in nature and cannot be fully appreciated statically. Recently it has become technically feasible to have patients actively move their wrists in specific directions (e.g. flexion/extension or ulnar-/radial deviation) to create the fourth dimension, so that the wrist can be reviewed dynamically. However, according to S. Buckens (2019) active movements of the wrist are less desirable than passive movement as patients are typically able to (partly) compensate for wrist instability using forearm muscles, masking potentially significant pathology. During this project a suitable solution is designed to passively move the patient’s wrist in a precise and safe way in the gantry during scanning. Within the analysis phase, a context analysis and state of the art research resulted in six focus areas. Subsequently, in the research phase these focus areas were used to obtain optimal understanding of the product’s solution space and to create and evaluate possible solutions for the design problem. For the focus areas market- and literature research was conducted, various experts were consulted and prototypes were developed and tested. Based on the outcomes of all focus areas a set of design decisions was made throughout the project, eventually leading to the final design of the product. The product makes use of a cable-pulley system in combination with stepper motors which facilitate the desired passive wrist movements. Patients are able to place their arm on top of a standard, where special 3D printed parts (with an integrated adjustment mechanism) are able to fixate their forearm. Additionally, velcro straps are used to account for the variation in arm size. Furthermore, the patient’s hand can be fixated by another 3D printed part; again a velcro strap is used to improve fit and fixation. Electronic parts are integrated in the system to automate the movement, while at the same time allowing the radiologist and laboratory technicians to operate the product. A first evaluation showed that the product is able to facilitate the desired passive wrist movements and is able to fixate both the patient’s forearm and hand well. However, concerning future development the product should be improved on several aspects. Therefore, a set of recommendations is given together with a testing- and implementation plan for the hospital.

On 15th of October 2018 the kick-off of the project took place. The assignment was to design a science based methodology for the creation of SRFACE wetsuits. The current design process is still almost entirely based on trial and error. A product designer draws seam lines on a 2D body outline, based on his knowledge about fit, insulation and performance. The production company creates and grades the pattern based on this design. A sample is made and adjusted based on the feedback of customers. This report investigates the opportunities of modern day technologies such as 3D body scanning to generate a new methodology. In the analysis phase the different stakeholders are assessed together with the current methodology. This resulted in a redefinition of the problem. The production company handles the creation and grading of the patterns based on the 2D design of SRFACE. This design is open for interpretation which results in a time and cost consuming optimization phase. Furthermore the anthropometry of the customers is unknown to both SRFACE and the production company. The sizing is therefore based on the sizing of other wetsuit brands. The feedback of the customers is the only input for improving the fit of the different sizes. The analysis phase resulted in the following main goals for the new methodology. It should incorporate:
The creation and grading of wetsuit patterns Design for fit approach with the use of 3D body scans Digital prototyping Research was performed into the anthropometry for the creation of a sizing chart. The 3D body scan database CAESAR has been used as representation of European population. The scans of more than 1800 individuals have been filtered and classified into sizing groups using the height and chest circumference. In this process a new method is proposed for the creation of a new sizing system using the DINED Ellipse tool. This resulted in the creation of digital mannequins that represent average body types for every wetsuit size. These mannequins were then used as basis for the creation and testing of wetsuit patterns. The current SRFACE wetsuit pattern and materials were digitized and simulated in pattern design software Clo3D. The tightness during static and dynamic fit were assessed and used as reference for future wetsuit design. A new workflow is investigated that uses 3D digital pattern drawing with the 3D mannequins as basis. The resulting pattern was optimized using the stress and strain simulations and graded. A prototype is created of the base pattern to validate the design workflow. As a result a new methodology is proposed that incorporates a 3D wetsuit design workflow and digital prototyping. This new methodology gives SRFACE more control in optimization and reduces the amount of physical prototyping. Assessment of the prototype has shown that the new methodology is able to produce feasible pattern designs with a good fit. But further optimization is required. Using this methodology over time will increase its accuracy and build on gained knowledge. Multiple prototypes are still required but will decrease over time.

A distal radius fracture (DRF) is one of the most common fractures, especially in older women. Previous research shows that a DRF disturbs sensorimotor functions even eight weeks after finished treatment, which could influence neuromuscular control. The neuromuscular system exists of a sensory, motor and integration part, which all interact with each other as a closed-loop system. This study researches if a history of DRF disturbs neuromuscular control and if so, which part of the neuromuscular control system is the origin of this impairment. Nine healthy participants and eleven participants with a DRF history (who finished their treatment 0.2 – 4 years ago) executed posture tasks and reproduction tasks with a wrist perturbator. A posture task with force perturbations was done to test neuromuscular control. Changed environmental dynamics were applied to test the adaptation of the participants during the posture task. A position and force reproduction task were executed to test sensory position and force feedback. To test the motor part of the neuromuscular system, muscle activity was measured during the tasks with electromyography. The responses to the posture task did not differ between the groups. The position reproduction task was found to be significantly different between the two groups. Moreover, people with a DRF did not adapt to changed environmental dynamics while control participants did. This implies that processing of sensory position feedback does not work properly in people with a DRF history while neuromuscular control during a posture task with small deviations is still intact. A possible explanation for these results is that different neural networks are used during reproduction tasks and posture tasks. It is concluded that sensory feedback which is used in cortical processes is disturbed in people with a history of DRF while peripheral reflexes are still intact.