Moticon, a German company, is developing the world’s first fully integrated and wireless sensor insole called OpenGo. The OpenGo insole can be used in any shoe to measure the distribution and motion parameters for patients and athletes. The insole can also measure the approximate temperature of the foot. One of the main advantages of this sensor insole is that it is completely wireless and can be used with other devices to create new capabilities such as getting instant audio feedback in a Bluetooth headset about your balance during a golf swing.
An embedded storage unit within the insole constantly records the measured data and this data can be transmitted to a computer through an ANT+ enabled flash drive (ANT+ is the wireless technology that allows health and fitness monitoring devices to talk to each other and other pieces of hardware). Current foot care relies on measuring the patient’s applied pressure, and these measurements play a crucial role during patient rehabilitation as well. Inappropriate plantar stress after injuries or orthopedic surgery can be recorded with the OpenGo sensor insole and the entire recovery process can be significantly improved. The OpenGo insole is currently used for everyday patient monitoring, rehabilitation measures, and for training analysis in sports.
According to the company website:
The OpenGo sensor insole can be used as a personal trainer in all kinds of sports where technique and performance are significantly based on the correct distribution of pressure and load. As it is easy to use and gives feedback immediately, the system helps athletes to optimize their technique. For example the common behavior when skiing or the way of striking when playing golf can be analyzed in realtime, and transmitted to the user as acoustic signals via headphones.
Here’s a quick demo of the insoles and the output they provide:
Product page: Moticon Sensor Insole…