Smart Insole Will Help Correct Limps

Nov-16-12 A new “smart” insole designed to encourage a proper gait could help people recovering from hip surgery or broken legs learn to walk without a limp.

The gel insole is part of the Rapid Rehab system developed by University of Utah mechanical engineer Prof. Stacy Bamberg. The insole features two resistors that measure the pressure of the wearer’s foot on the ground, an accelerometer that detects leg movement and a gyroscope that monitors the position of the foot. Data from these sensors is sent to a smartphone, which then creates a real-time profile of the patient’s gait and sends the feedback in the form of the user’s choosing: visual, audio or sensory.

Currently the device is aimed at amputees who would like to reduce their limp when using prosthetic legs, but Bamberg hopes to expand the uses for Rapid Rehab to people who have received a hip replacement or suffered a broken leg and need help correcting their gait as they heal.

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[GIZMAG.COM]

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