Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Smart Analytics Insole |
Alyssa Huang Ramsey Van Der Meer Tony Leapo |
Selva Subramaniam | final_paper2.docx other1.pdf photo1.jpg photo4.jpg presentation1.pdf proposal1.pdf proposal2.pdf |
|
| Team Members: - Ramsey van der Meer (ramseyv2) - Alyssa Huang (azh4) - Tony Leapo (aleapo2) # PROBLEM Many people enjoy hiking since it allows for people of all fitness levels to experience the outdoors. However, oftentimes the constant repetitive pounding on hikers feet can lead to soreness or even injury. Many factors contribute to the injury risk factor including a hiker's gait, fitness level, the amount of weight carried, terrain, and much more. Currently, there are no products on the market which can deliver personalized feedback on foot stresses experienced over the duration of a hike. This information can be crucial in selecting appropriate footwear or even improving walking techniques to prevent injuries. Additionally, this information could be repurposed to provide a metric to measure the difficulties of hikes, as trails that place a lot of pressure on your feet can be shared amongst avid hikers. # SOLUTION Our solution is to develop an insertable insole equipped with many integrated pressure sensors and external accelerometers, and gyroscopes. These sensors will help monitor the dynamics of the foot during a hike by capturing data on the distribution of pressure across the foot, as well as the intensity of impacts, and the foot's orientation and movements. The insole will be constructed with durable but comfortable materials to ensure it does not alter the hiking experience negatively. It will be able to connect wirelessly through BlueTooth to a smartphone interface, enabling hikers to receive real-time feedback of the sensor data during their hike. After the hike, the interface will provide a comprehensive summary of the collected data, presenting insights into areas of the foot that experienced the most stress and impact, as well as other data collected about the user’s walking habits. This summary will include visual representations such as heat maps and graphs, illustrating the pressure points and movement patterns. Additionally, the interface will offer personalized recommendations based on the collected data. These could include suggestions for foot exercises, guidance on improving hiking techniques, and advice on selecting the right type of hiking footwear for individual needs. By providing hikers with this detailed and personalized information, our solution aims to enhance the hiking experience, reduce the risk of foot injuries, and contribute to the overall well-being of hiking enthusiasts. The insole will be designed to ensure compatibility with a range of different types of shoes, and the type of data we will be collecting can be generalized to solve other orthotic issues. # SOLUTION COMPONENTS ## SENSORS For the insole, we will integrate a combination of sensors to accurately track and analyze foot movements and pressures during hikes. These sensors will include an accelerometer, gyroscope, and pressure sensors. Accelerometer: This sensor we will use to measure movements that users will make as well as sudden changes to motion to better get a sense of where and when impacts happen. Gyroscope: The gyroscope sensor will measure the rotational movements and orientation of the foot. This would provide insight into how the foot moves during a hike. [Gyroscope and Accelerometer combined](https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-MPU-6050-Accelerometer-Gyroscope-Converter/dp/B078SS8NQV) Pressure Sensors: These sensors will be distributed across different areas on the insole to map the pressure exerted on different parts of the foot. This data is crucial for identifying high-stress areas and potential points of discomfort or injury. We could use thin and flexible pressure sensors like a Velostat conductive sheet.. This sensor works by increasing resistance as the sheet bends are applied to it, which we can measure with a voltage divider and see a change in voltage.. [Pressure Sensor - Velostat Conductive Sheet](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00SK8LYK4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cabuu-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00SK8LYK4&linkId=a47b7f29f93a16fe2c6ea313720ea129) The data from these sensors will be collected and processed by a microcontroller unit external from the insole. This microcontroller would have to be capable of handling multiple inputs simultaneously from different sensors. We think the ESP32 fits the bill for a low-power, efficient microcontroller. This also includes Bluetooth for wireless data transmission to a smartphone interface. Additionally the data collected by the microcontroller would be saved to a micro SD card. [potential SD card interface](https://www.amazon.com/Storage-Memory-Shield-Module-Arduino/dp/B01IPCAP72) The insole will also be made to ensure comfort and durability, with sensors embedded in such a way that the insole seems just like any other. While the pressure sensor will be integrated into the material of the insole, the external sensors and electronics could be wrapped around the interior of the tongue or collar of the shoe, so as to not impede the gait of the hiker nor be at risk of getting damaged from impactful steps. The overall design will focus on creating an insole embedded with comfortable sensors, providing hikers with valuable insights into their foot mechanics. [Possible Microcontroller](https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/STMicroelectronics/STM32F303K8T6TR?qs=sPbYRqrBIVk%252Bs3Q4t9a02w%3D%3D) ## STATUS LEDS We plan to add status LEDs to provide clear, visual indications of various statuses. We would include a power status LED indicating when the device is running. This LED could be repurposed for power status, and change to a green color when the insole is charging. It might flash red when the power is low. We could also incorporate LEDs for other statuses, such as Bluetooth connectivity (whether or not bluetooth is activity paired or if it is in pairing mode), or a warning LED for sensor malfunction or disconnection. These LEDs will not only provide an additional interface for users to look at and easily understand the status of their device. This would also have the benefit of having much less power draw than a screen interface. ## USER INTERFACE The hiking boot insole monitoring system can be controlled through a combination of a user-friendly smartphone interface and integrated buttons or switches on the insole for versatility and convenience. The smartphone interface would be the primary interface including a full breakdown and analysis of sensor data. Through the interface, users can activate or deactivate data recording, view real-time data, adjust settings like data sync frequency, and access the history of their hikes. The interface could also provide notifications and reminders, such as when to charge the insole or if an irregular pattern is detected in foot pressure or motion. For times when using a smartphone is impractical, such as during intense hiking, simple physical controls on the insole can be a reliable alternative. A small, waterproof, and durable button or switch, ideally located on the side of the shoe, could be used for basic operations like turning the device on or off, and starting or stopping data recording. This dual-mode control system ensures that the device remains highly functional and accessible in various hiking conditions and user preferences. Additionally we could make it so that users would only have to connect their device to their phone/laptop after the hike is complete allowing them to save on battery life. This would require us to implement on device storeage. ## POWER We were thinking of using a lithium-ion battery to power the device, due to its compact size, rechargeability, and widespread availability. We would mount this battery externally from the insole to power the device. Considering the power requirements of the sensors (accelerometers, pressure sensors, and gyroscopes), the microcontroller, LEDs, and the Bluetooth module for data transmission, a battery capacity in the range of 200-300mAh would likely be sufficient. For reference, a FitBit sense worn on the wrist has a battery of about 266 mAh at 3.85 V. This capacity should provide enough power for a hike (approximately 4-6 hours) on a single charge, assuming moderate data recording and transmission frequency. The battery would be placed away from the insole. [Possible battery](https://www.amazon.com/battery-Rechargeable-Lithium-Polymer-Connector/dp/B07C9R84QS/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=200%2Bmah%2Bbattery&qid=1706654478&sr=8-5&th=1) # CRITERION FOR SUCCESS We would measure the success of our device on its ability to accurately measure, provide useful feedback and maintain user comfort. Key criteria include: - Accuracy and Reliability of Sensors: The insole should accurately capture data on foot pressure distribution, impact intensity, and foot motion using its accelerometer, pressure, and gyroscope. This data should be able to accurately reflect what the user is experiencing and filter out unwanted noise. This noise could happen due to weird impacts or rocks coming into shoes. - Comfort and Durability: The insole should have a high level of comfort for the user and seem like any other insole. It should also be able to stand up to use and not break easily. - Effective Data Communication: The data transmission should be robust enough to handle packet drops and still send all data from the sensors to an external device. These visualizations would include heat maps and graphs that would effectively communicate data. - On device storage: Ability to store data on device so that users will not have to remain connected to the device though out a hike. After which users can then connect to the device to offload data. - Battery Life and Power Management: Battery life on the insole is needed to be enough to power our device for longer hikes which may last up to 8 hours. - User Interface and Usability: The user interface of the smartphone should be intuitive and provide convenient access to the data and its insights. Our physical controls on the device itself should also be intuitive. to address data analytics we could include basic information shown in this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Trr4gTw4I. Or we could allow users to bring this to a licensed podiatrist as none of us really could speak in a professional sense on this topic. |
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