Development of PID Control System for a Smart Leg Splint using Sensor Technology

Rehabilitation is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach that aimed to restoring functionality and individuality who are undergoing recovery from physical and cognitive impairments, such as physical therapy, thermotherapy, cognitive therapy and assistive technology. Therefore, thermotherapy is an aspect of physical therapy that involves the application of heat to the human body for therapeutic purposes to pain relief, enhanced circulation, inflammation reduction and improved range of motion, which is significant for patients. This paper proposed the development of a smart leg splint implemented a closed-loop control system to regulate the temperature inside the splint. The experimental design and implementation of PID control system, emphasize on the importance of stability and accuracy in temperature control. The microcontroller and sensor technology were used to analyze and monitor the temperature while the system was operating. The results showed that a significant improvement in time taken to reach to the desired setpoint can be accomplished by modifying the parameters corresponding with the proportional, integral and derivative (PID) terms. The adjustment is essential for ensuring that the output remains stable at the desired temperature throughout the treatment duration. The temperature regulating responses can demonstrate variations due to the distinct positioning and design of a smart leg splint.