eGaIn Sensor for Plantar Arch Measurement

Abstract

An essential part of gait training is providing real-time feedback, which has shown to be effective by allowing runners to identify and correct biomechanical dysfunctions in the leg movement while walking or running. Several types of sensing devices are used to provide measurements for the feedback used in gait training, including pressure sensing treadmills that measure forces exerted by the runner and motion capture systems that track and profile a runner’s motions. For conditions affecting the plantar arch measurements are harder to attain because of the location of the arch during gait. Currently, there are no sensing devices that offer reliable, real-time measurements on plantar arch deformation for runners with plantar arch injuries. This paper describes the design of a sensing device consisting of a soft, stretchy eGaIn strain sensor that can conform to the shape of a runner’s foot and measure the deformation of the plantar arch in real-time for gait training. The measurements from this device were found to correlate with the Arch Height Index, a reliable measurement used to classify arch structure.