British company HCi Viocare has introduced a new insole concept designed to give real-time feedback in order to prevent injury and, in extreme cases, surgery.
The company is said to be already in talks with potential licensing partners and will tackle the healthcare and sports markets.
The Smart Insole is expected to go on sale before Christmas for less than £200.
Either built into the shoe or placed in everyday’s footwear, the insole will connect with smart gadgets to give live monitoring status of the user’s condition. This monitoring is achieved via a network of small electronic sensors.
The technology will help people monitor the stresses and strains on their feet, especially useful for those who suffer from diabetes or who are professional athletes.
The new IoT venture has the potential to prevent much of the NHS‘ £600 million being spent every year in the treatment of diabetic foot conditions.
In the UK, up to 70% of diabetic patients will suffer some form of neuropathy in their feet, and up to 25% will develop a diabetic foot ulcer leading to amputation in about one in 1,000 diabetes patients.
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HCi Viocare will also explore the sports market where 56% of amateur runners injury themselves while exercising. The company revealed that there’s a direct relationship between how the runner’s foot strikes the ground and how injuries happen.
Featuring real time feedback, the sensor based insole features tools to monitor foot strike, visualisation of a model of the full lower leg gait and the ability to look at the impact of the runner’s running style on the knees.
The product will also boost the capacity to measure the runner’s weight, balance, calories lost, cadence and distance through measuring pressure and shear across the sole of the feet.
Furthermore, Viocare’s insole will let its users know when to buy new shoes if there is not enough foot support or if the footwear is putting them at increased risk of blisters.
Christos Kapatos, Chief Technology Officer of HCi Viocare Technologies said: "2015 is the year that both industries and individuals will truly begin to feel the impact of connectivity beyond the smart phone and PC. The Internet of Things is happening and we are already witnessing it in our everyday lives.
"We are developing a portfolio of game-changing and even life-changing products that will take wearable tech to the next level of detail and sophistication. Our Smart Insole is a great example of exactly how Internet of Things products will radically define our lives over the next decade."
