Sophie Bauernfeind

Sophie Bauernfeind is a researcher at the University of Applied Sciences Hagenberg, affiliated with the Research Center Hagenberg and AIST Center of Excellence Medical Engineering/TIMed Center. Her work bridges information and communications technology with medical engineering, focusing on orthopedic solutions through digital innovation.

Her research interests center on prosthetic and orthotic engineering, leveraging additive manufacturing and adaptive modeling to create patient-specific medical devices. She specializes in applying automated processes to orthopedic aids, with particular emphasis on shoe insoles and foot biomechanics, integrating clinical knowledge with digital workflows for enhanced patient outcomes.

Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward AI-driven orthopedic solutions, with 80% of her 2023-2025 work focusing on digital customization of orthotic devices. Key themes include patient-specific 3D printing applications (Industry 4.0), clinical knowledge extraction from medical records, and AI-powered diagnostic systems for orthopedics, reflecting a strategic shift toward data-driven medical device development.

As Co-Investigator for the MOVE project (Modeling Orthoses for Vitality Enhancement, 2023-2024), she contributed to research advancing orthosis customization through additive manufacturing. Her collaborations span clinical partners and engineering teams, focusing on translating research into practical orthopedic solutions. She actively participates in conferences like ICECCME 2023, demonstrating engagement with the international biomedical engineering community.

Her laboratory work centers on the AIST Center of Excellence Medical Engineering/TIMed Center, where she utilizes advanced prototyping facilities for orthopedic device development. Current activities involve integrating clinical data systems with manufacturing pipelines to streamline production of personalized orthotics, with future work likely expanding into real-time biomechanical monitoring systems.