Abstract
To prevent diabetic foot ulcers, the nurses teach the patient to select correct shoe size and shape. However, this education is less effective for the people with diabetic neuropathy, because the patient cannot feel contact between shoe and foot. To resolve this problem, we propose the 3D computer graphic visualization of contact between shoe and foot using 3D scanner. Bare feet of three participants were scanned by a portable 3D scanner. Their own shoes were also scanned. The small shoes were prepared as typical ill-fitting shoes, and they were scanned. Contact area between bare foot and shoe 3D models were visualized by our developed 3D visualization software as red color. In their own shoes, red areas were not observed. On the contrary, in the small shoes, the tip of thumb or side of foot were visualized at the toe of shoe or side of shoe. This visualized areas were matched with the feelings of the participants. The result indicated that 3D portable scanner has capability of measurement of 3D foot and shoe contour. This pilot study results also demonstrated that our visualization concept has potential to contribute the education of correct shoe size and shape.
