Smart Insoles a Cutting Edge Technology in the Field of Orthotics: A Review
Authors: Kumar Yashika , . Rukhsana 
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Smart insole is a biomechanical device which consist of sensors within the insole that can be used for evaluation of gait pattern, plantar pressure, centre of pressure, balance, monitoring of activity, and for performing a quantitative assessment of motor functions. Smart insoles are light in weight, results in minimally impacted gait, which make the measurements obtained to be more reflective of our natural gait. It can be used for assistive living, healthcare promotion, fitness monitoring/training, human-machine interactions, disease detection, rehabilitation which is also increasing day by day.
Aims: The aim of the study is to highlight the importance of smart insoles along with its advantages, limitations and future implications in the field of Orthotics.
Study design: literature review
Method: An electronic database search was conducted using Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Cochrane library and reference list from all the retrieved articles. The 15 articles have been reviewed using key words like smart insoles, pressure sensing, diabetes, flatfoot, stroke, Parkinson and foot ulcers. Further the articles have been reviewed on the evolution of smart insoles, their importance, how can it be a revolutionary device for the patients with common life style pathology like ulcers, flat foot etc. The articles were also reviewed on the advantages and disadvantages of the smart insole and their limitations.
Results: Studies had showed that the smart insole can be used to evaluate foot pressure measurements, gait spatiotemporal parameter extraction, and gait pattern of the wearer. It also includes applications for tracking gait abnormalities associated with neurological diseases, detecting walking abnormalities in adults and elderly, and patient rehabilitation. Additionally, it can be used for activity recognition, which is primarily supported by machine learning for clinical test translations, caloric estimation, daily activity tracking, and assistance for the safety and work environment in particular occupations. Furthermore, it aids in monitoring diabetic foot, foot gesture recognition for digital device management and human-machine interactions in gaming, and vibration insoles.
Discussion: During functional movement, the motion tracking sensor in the smart insole provides real-time input. Additionally, it supports the ideal movement pattern and follows the adhere rehabilitation protocol. The wireless transmission of this data to a health care professional's mobile application allows for real-time analysis of the gait pattern, pressure spots, and prospective problem region, which may improve the decision of treatment. When the sensors come into contact with the user's body, they also monitor the temperature and humidity conditions. This additionally help for assessing comfort in identifying skin irritation or moisture accumulation, which aids in further improving the orthosis's construction and design.
Conclusion: Smart insoles are insoles that are seamless from the shoe, lightweight, adaptable to fit any shoe, and have a low cost of production due to their easy integration of small-sized electronics and can perform. Along with this, storage capacity and power usage will be an issues and it is inconvenient to constantly charge or replace batteries, few design have been done to overcome these problems. Therefore, in the near future, smart insoles could rank among the best wearable technology to analyse gait, balance, plantar pressure, posture and other characteristics. Thus, it is a useful tool for the field of Orthotics.

Key words: smart insole, plantar pressure, gait analysis, foot ulcer