The present study, funded jointly by SEMI and the AFRL, is intended to evaluate the comfort, durability, and sensor accuracy of the smart insoles and associated mobile app. The study will evaluate both generation 1.0 and generation 2.0 of the smart insole. The primary difference between the two generations is the that gen 2.0 will use an improved energy harvester for power generation.
The present study is structured in two phases. Phase 1 will evaluate gen 1.0 of the insole in a pilot study at the University of Utah (U of U) with 10 subjects. The subjects will be asked to wear the insole while walking at different speeds on an instrumented treadmill in the Motion Core Analysis Facility at the University of Utah and asked to walk over a ½ mile course on the U of U campus. This study will be overseen by Dr. Shad Roundy.
Phase 2 will evaluate gen 2.0 of the insole. A pilot study will take place at the U of U and will mimic the phase 1 study with 10 subjects. Again, the study will be overseen by Dr. Shad Roundy. This will be followed up by a larger field study with 100 subjects who will be asked to take the insoles home and wear them over the course of 4 weeks. The field study will be overseen by Dr. Jeff Hiserman at Spectrum Ergonomics.