Mateligent was asked to develop a completely new sensor from the ground up to enable a smart shoe insole that would measure balance and gait. Multiple sensing alternatives were tested that were unable to meet the application requirements. The requirements included:
- Durability of the sensors and electrical connections to over 3.5 million steps
- Withstand extreme contortions; including folding onto itself with no need for recalibration
- Sensor must be very thin and undetectable to help assure wearer comfort
- Manufacturing the sensor into very high volumes of insoles
Mateligent’s EAP sensing technology was perfect for adapting the size, shape and physical properties to function when situated between layers of rubber-like synthetic materials. Weekly rounds of collaboration, testing and design refinements succeeded in enabling an application that demonstrated a 24% reduction in falling by the elderly in an extended trial conducted by an independent third party. “Mateligent’s sensing technology and the skills of their engineering team proved to be the difference that allowed our dreams to assist the elderly to become reality,” commented Krispian Lawrence, Co-Founder & CEO of Ducere Technologies. ‘In fact, Mateligent’s pressure sensors allowed us to gamify our app, which is a significant factor in achieving such impressive results in our fall prevention outcomes.”
