Heriot-Watt University and D M Orthotics Limited KTP 24_25 R2

A compression burns garment that actually delivers the pressure it promises is currently a matter of guesswork—D M Orthotics wants to replace that guesswork with hard data. The problem is straightforward but consequential. Burns survivors often wear custom compression garments and orthoses to reduce scarring and manage swelling. But clinicians and manufacturers have no reliable way to prove that a given garment applies the intended pressure, or to design one that does. This gap means patients may receive suboptimal treatment, and companies cannot generate the clinical evidence needed to improve products or satisfy regulators. This project will develop two things: a method to generate robust clinical evidence for the efficacy of these garments, and a design tool that lets engineers specify a target pressure and produce a garment that hits it. If successful, the work could transform a niche but critical part of post-burn care—making compression therapy more predictable, more effective, and more evidence-based. It also gives a UK manufacturer a stronger basis for product claims, which matters for procurement by the NHS and other healthcare systems.