Sensor architectural tradeoff for diabetic foot ulcer monitoring

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2012:2012:6687-90. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2012.6347528.

Abstract

The diabetic foot complications constitute a tremendous challenge for patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system. Studies show up to 25% of diabetic individuals will develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime and many of these patients eventually must undergo amputation as a result of infection due to untreated foot ulcers. With current technology, in-shoe monitoring systems can be implemented to continuously monitor at-risk ulceration sites based on known indicators such as peak pressure. The important parameters in designing a pressure-sensing insole include the number, location and size of sensors. In this paper, we aim at showing the criticality of sensor architectural tradeoff in developing the in-shoe plantar pressure monitoring systems. We evaluate this tradeoff by using our custom-made platform for data collection during normal walking.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Diabetic Foot / physiopathology*
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Foot / anatomy & histology
  • Foot Ulcer / physiopathology*
  • Gait
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Monitoring, Ambulatory / methods*
  • Pressure
  • Risk
  • Shoes
  • Transducers
  • Walking*
  • Young Adult