Plantar Pressure Profiler for medical diagnostics

Abstract

The pressure distribution in the sole of the human foot when interacting with a surface (ground) is termed plantar pressure, and is usually measured in the standing position. The plantar pressure distribution or profile is a strong function of the internal anatomy of humans. The profile can undergo changes due to the symptoms of some diseases such as diabetes. An instrument that can accurately measure the plantar pressure profile can serve as an indicator for early diagnostic of the disease and continuous monitoring of the feet of diabetic patients. This paper considers the design and development of such an instrument, a Plantar Pressure Profiler prototype. The plantar pressure profile is measured when a person is standing on a platform that is designed with a 120 sensor array system. The associated data acquisition electronics and visualization software developed for recording the pressure profiles are also described.