Changchun "Chad" Zeng from Florida State University's High Performance Materials Institute (HPMI) has developed a new auxetic foam. Prosthetic socks made from the foam will help amputees adjust prosthetic devices to their specific limb shape and volume.
Unlike conventional foams, the material becomes thicker when stretched. The new product, through a license agreeement with Auxadyne LLC, will be initially used in medical device bracing and pressure relieving applications.
Zeng's auxetic foam was developed as part of a multiyear, multimillion dollar initiative with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA Innovation Initiative project aimed to address the shortcomings of current prosthetic socket systems through the development, testing, and delivery of "Socket Optimized for Comfort with Advanced Technology" (SOCAT) prototypes.
