Functional shoe for the detection of walking pattern anomalies

Abstract

Analysis of walking patterns can play an important role in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorder and detecting anomalies in walking gaits. In this work, we introduce a systematic approach to detect person's walking patterns. A flexible resistive pressure sensor, developed from electro-conductive textile fabric, is non-intrusively integrated in an ordinary shoe together with a time of flight height sensor. The constructed shoe detects both the pressure between shoe and foot and the gap between shoe and ground. The combination of those give a trace of the walking pattern. The shoe should be functional in detecting walking pattern anomalies.