A Polyester-Nylon Blend Plantar Pressure Sensing Insole for Person With Diabetes

Peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy among people with diabetes is one of the leading causes of foot ulceration. Plantar pressure is a significant parameter to control for the prevention of foot ulceration. A low-cost sensing insole, which can provide a reliable performance, is therefore a demanding need. This letter proposes a sensing insole, which can be used for plantar pressure sensing for general use but also for decision making in active offloading. The device is based on the piezoresistive principle and made from Polyester/Nylon 6 blend fabric comprising an array of 31 sensors, with their sensing range up to 960 kPa corresponding to an active area of 78.5 mm(2). The use of said fabric allows the needed flexibility and high abrasive resistance along with reliable performance. This letter presents the sensing insole design, conception, packaging, and the experimental validation.