Smartphone-Based Automated Photogrammetry for Reconstruction of Residual Limb Models in Prosthetic Design

Accurate modeling of residual limb geometry is essential for prosthetic socket design, yet current scanning techniques can be costly, operator-dependent, or impractical for repeated clinical use. This study presents a fully automated, low-cost photogrammetry workflow capable of generating metrically accurate 3D models of lower-limb residual limbs using video and still images acquired with a standard smartphone or a full-frame digital camera. The pipeline integrates adaptive frame selection, deep learning–based background removal, robust metric scaling via ArUco markers, and open-source Structure-from-Motion and Multi-View Stereo reconstruction, requiring no manual post-processing or proprietary software. Accuracy and repeatability were evaluated using four 3D-printed limb phantoms and high-resolution CT-derived meshes as ground truth. Smartphone video and full-frame camera acquisitions achieved sub-millimeter surface accuracy, volume and perimeter errors within ±1%, and high inter-session repeatability, all within clinically accepted thresholds for pros-thetic socket fabrication. In contrast, smartphone still-photo reconstructions showed larger deviations and reduced stability. Acquisition time was under five minutes, and complete reconstruction required approximately 90 minutes. These results demonstrate that smartphone video-based photogrammetry provides a practical, scalable, and clinically viable alternative for residual limb modeling, particularly in re-source-constrained or remote care settings.