Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation
The proper measurement of plantar pressure during gait is critical for the clinical diagnosis of foot problems. Force platforms and wearable devices have been developed to study gait patterns during walking or running. However, these devices are often expensive, cumbersome, or have boundary constrai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3883 |
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| author | Sahar Safarloo Arántzazu Núñez-Cascajero Ruben Sanchez-Gomez Carmen Vázquez |
| author_facet | Sahar Safarloo Arántzazu Núñez-Cascajero Ruben Sanchez-Gomez Carmen Vázquez |
| author_sort | Sahar Safarloo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The proper measurement of plantar pressure during gait is critical for the clinical diagnosis of foot problems. Force platforms and wearable devices have been developed to study gait patterns during walking or running. However, these devices are often expensive, cumbersome, or have boundary constraints that limit the participant’s motions. Recent advancements in the quality of plastic optical fiber (POF) have made it possible to manufacture a low-cost bend sensor with a novel design for use in plantar pressure monitoring. An intensity-based POF bend sensor is not only lightweight, non-invasive, and easy to construct, but it also produces a signal that requires almost no processing. In this work, we have designed, fabricated, and characterized a novel intensity POF sensor to detect the force applied by the human foot and measure the gait pattern. The sensors were put through a series of dynamic and static tests to determine their measurement range, sensitivity, and linearity, and their response was compared to that of two different commercial force sensors, including piezo resistive sensors and a clinical force platform. The results suggest that this novel POF bend sensor can be used in a wide range of applications, given its low cost and non-invasive nature. Feedback walking monitoring for ulcer prevention or sports performance could be just one of those applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:53:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af7cc7b3af724307b44866b5b78af973 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:53:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-af7cc7b3af724307b44866b5b78af9732023-11-23T13:02:53ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202022-05-012210388310.3390/s22103883Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and ValidationSahar Safarloo0Arántzazu Núñez-Cascajero1Ruben Sanchez-Gomez2Carmen Vázquez3Electronics Technology Department, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, SpainElectronics Technology Department, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, SpainNursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainElectronics Technology Department, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, SpainThe proper measurement of plantar pressure during gait is critical for the clinical diagnosis of foot problems. Force platforms and wearable devices have been developed to study gait patterns during walking or running. However, these devices are often expensive, cumbersome, or have boundary constraints that limit the participant’s motions. Recent advancements in the quality of plastic optical fiber (POF) have made it possible to manufacture a low-cost bend sensor with a novel design for use in plantar pressure monitoring. An intensity-based POF bend sensor is not only lightweight, non-invasive, and easy to construct, but it also produces a signal that requires almost no processing. In this work, we have designed, fabricated, and characterized a novel intensity POF sensor to detect the force applied by the human foot and measure the gait pattern. The sensors were put through a series of dynamic and static tests to determine their measurement range, sensitivity, and linearity, and their response was compared to that of two different commercial force sensors, including piezo resistive sensors and a clinical force platform. The results suggest that this novel POF bend sensor can be used in a wide range of applications, given its low cost and non-invasive nature. Feedback walking monitoring for ulcer prevention or sports performance could be just one of those applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3883fiber optic macro-bendbiofeedback toolgait monitoringoptical fiber sensorplastic optical fiberplantar sensor |
| spellingShingle | Sahar Safarloo Arántzazu Núñez-Cascajero Ruben Sanchez-Gomez Carmen Vázquez Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation Sensors fiber optic macro-bend biofeedback tool gait monitoring optical fiber sensor plastic optical fiber plantar sensor |
| title | Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation |
| title_full | Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation |
| title_fullStr | Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation |
| title_short | Polymer Optical Fiber Plantar Pressure Sensors: Design and Validation |
| title_sort | polymer optical fiber plantar pressure sensors design and validation |
| topic | fiber optic macro-bend biofeedback tool gait monitoring optical fiber sensor plastic optical fiber plantar sensor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3883 |
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