Did you know that every sixth person is suffering from some sort of foot sensory loss? It may be caused by a number of chronic illnesses or a simple trauma. When nerves in feet are injured, people struggle to maintain balance – the brain is simply not getting the information about the position of the foot, weight distribution, etc.
Now scientists at the University of Queensland have developed a special shoe insole which could help people with nerve damage to maintain balance.
One in six people suffer from sensory loss in feet. This significantly increases the risk of fall and injury. Image credit: Helgi Halldórsson via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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You just found out how common nerve damage in feet is, but you should still be surprised to know that 65 % of people with nerve damage in feet fall each year. Those folds may be quite dangerous depending on circumstances. But even that aside people who do not feel their feet very well struggle to walk fast and do not feel confident walking on slippery surfaces, climbing stairs, exercising. And that’s why the Augmented Vibrotexture technology developed in Australia is so cool.
Image credit: University of Queensland
Basically, insoles with Augmented Vibrotexture combine vibration and geometric texture, providing some extra stimuli to the soles of the feet. This is not any kind of an implant – it is just a simple insole for shoes, which should help people with nerve damage in feet to have a safe, active and independent life.
Augmented Vibrotexture insoles connect to a smartphone app, which helps track user’s health and also allows remote health monitoring between patients and clinicians. Basically, these insoles vibrate differently depending on weight distribution on the feet, which provides that missing bit of feedback needed for a balanced stance and walking. Creators of the Augmented Vibrotexture insole technology were recently awarded the Major Category Prize in this year’s Bionics Challenge, receiving $50,000 (AUD) in prize money, which will be used to develop the technical insole design features. Hopefully, the final prototype is going to be realized soon and it won’t be long till we see a commercial model.
Dr Anna Hatton, one of the creators of the Augmented Vibrotexture technology, detailed the future plans: “The funds will be used to help develop the technical insole design features, mobile app and test the final prototype. Over the next 12 to 18 months, we will be consulting with patients and key stakeholders in the design process and will use artificial intelligence to measure brain activity in response to the foot sensory experience.”
Sensory loss is always dangerous – losing one’s ability to sense your own body may lead to injury. A simple insole could significantly reduce the risk of falls for millions of people who suffer from foot sensory loss. Even if it takes years to become a commercial product, it is a worthy idea to pursue.
Source: University of Queensland