Abstract
We have been developing new systems for measuring the forces generated on the plantar surface of the foot in order to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers. The systems include 1）a measurement system consisting of a plantar pressure distribution sensor and a motion sensor, which can measure leg and foot motion; 2）a shear force measurement system involving a sheet-type shear force sensor; and 3）a measurement system that can evaluate both pressure and shear stress at small sites on the plantar surface of the foot during walking using a 3-axis force sensor. These systems enable shear force measurements to be acquired during walking, which is currently considered to be difficult due to sensor limitations. Using our system, we obtained some information about callus formation in people with diabetes. We are currently expanding the system to produce a new education system, which is able to present the obtained measurements to patients in a visual form.
