# Automated and Controlled System for Analysis of Residual Limbs Thermograms of Transtibial Amputees
## 1 Introduction  
The current design and development methodology implemented by prosthetists to create prosthetic sockets is inconsistent regarding the quality of the socket produced, as a result of such methodology being a largely handmade procedure [1, 2, 3]. It has been noted that poor socket fit has a negative effect on the quality of life for the patient; despite its importance, proper socket fit can be troublesome to attain [4]. The study conducted by [PERSON] and [PERSON] found that the most frequent hassle related to the use of prostheses and the life quality of the user were the excessive heat and perspiration, as reported by 97 trans-femoral amputee subjects in a survey [5]. Other works on prosthetic sockets research techniques to improve or assess quality for the socket and, therefore, improve the patient's daily life [3, 6, 7]. For example, [PERSON] et al. researched to develop a device for manufacturing new prostheses. These novel prostheses aim to appropriately distribute the different thermal loads arising from daily life activities by implementing a three-dimensional (3D) thermal model of a transtibial residual limb and prosthesis. The results show that high temperatures zones are near muscle tissue, and the proposed representation can be applied to design prosthetic systems focused on adjusting the thermal conditions in the prosthesis [8]. [PERSON] et al. proposed a socket interface pressure system to make a comparison of the different pressure encounters in six regions of interest (ROIs) during the gait cycle between two types of prosthetic sockets for a transtibial amputee subject and found that uneven distribution of pressure between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket can be associated with the perception of the comfort of the amputee [9]. It is essential to highlight that thermography is an imaging technique used to determine the temperature and temperature variations of an object of interest [10], which, in this case, is the residual human limb. Such technology is widely employed in both commercial and industrial environments. In the medical field, thermography is used in different analysis, such as diagnosis of brown adipose tissue, diagnosis for diabetic foot, breast cancer, and analysis method for knee osteoarthritis screening, among others [11; 12]. The thermographic analysis is a non-invasive, low-cost method to assess skin temperature of great importance in medicine. Some authors have proposed a method using thermography to analyze how the compression and friction rub caused by the socket on the lower residual limb affects the temperature of certain ROI after walk activity. The main goal is to detect zones of discomfort by analyzing thermal images of the lower residual limb to aid in the design process of a personalized socket [13; 14]. The aforementioned studies serve as inspiration and starting point for this particular work. In such studies, gathering the thermograms is a nonautomated process, sometimes conducted without a specific controlled environment, where the thermal camera is moved from one point to the next, guided by the marks previously placed on the floor. In this process, the environmental noise represents a problem. Other objects and changes of illumination are caught during the process of the thermogram snapshot, decreasing the quality of the results and increasing the time of image processing. Based on those mentioned above, this work proposes the automation and control of a system or cabin to capture and analyze the thermograms. The study aims to develop a functional and manufacturable system to improve image processing results for thermographic analysis on the residual human limb for transtibial amputee subjects. With such development is expected a reduction of thermal and luminance noise from the environment and the definition of a standardized method to obtain the pictures within a fixed period. In addition, this system contributes to obtaining more precise temperature gradients on the ROIs, which helps evaluate the prosthetic socket adjustment.