A Novel Sensorised Insole for Sensing Feet Pressure Distributions

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sensor Technology
• Wearable Devices

Background:

• Wearable sensors are crucial for outdoor experimental monitoring.
• Existing solutions for measuring foot-based biomechanical data can be expensive and invasive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a cost-effective sensorised insole for accurate measurement of plantar pressure distribution.
• To provide an alternative to traditional force/torque sensors for gait analysis and related applications.

Main Methods:

• A mesh of tactile capacitive sensors with high spatial resolution (4 taxels/cm²) was integrated into an insole.
• A calibration technique combining vacuum chamber measurements and force/torque sensor data from shoes was employed.
• Performance was validated against ground truth data from force/torque sensors.

Main Results:

• The sensorised insole accurately reconstructs contact pressure distribution.
• Contact forces and moments were measured with a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 7 N and 2 N m, respectively.
• The proposed insole demonstrates comparable accuracy to force/torque sensors in specific applications.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensorised insole is a viable, cost-effective, and less invasive alternative to traditional force/torque sensors for certain biomechanical monitoring tasks.
• This technology enables enhanced outdoor experimental monitoring through wearable sensor systems.