In-shoe multisensory data acquisition

Patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy are susceptible to unnoticed trauma on the foot that can cause skin breakdown. We have designed an electronic system in a shoe that monitors temperature, pressure, and humidity, storing the data in a battery-powered device for later uploading to a host computer for data analysis. The pressure sensors are located at the heel, and under three metatarsal heads. Temperature sensors are located under three metatarsal heads and two are under the heel with the humidity sensor. Correlations of data from pressure and temperature sensors with known values were high (r>0.93). Although data currently are being collected for descriptive purposes, the design potentially can be used to provide feedback to patients.