A real time plantar pressure feedback device for foot unloading

The design and development of a plantar pressure control device, adapted to correct plantar pressure distribution patterns, is described. This device is based on the artificial return of information in real time to instantaneously reveal to subject certain events, of which he was unaware and which are difficult to quantify, such as the pressure variation generated by foot-ground contact. An acoustic alarm and visual signals, adjusted to a specific pressure load, alert the user in the case of excessive plantar pressure. So, our feedback device is designed to substitute for loss of feeling in patients who have peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus. The ultimate aim of this project is to prevent the development of neuropathic foot ulceration by providing both visual and auditory extrinsic sensory feedback to compensate for the malfunctioning peripheral nerves and to transmit information to the patient about dangerous conditions on the plantar surface of the feet. A trial of the device in a healthy subject is presented to evaluate whether a new gait pattern can emerge thanks to feedback from plantar pressure measurements.