Smart Insole Aims to Improve Mobility for Those with Walking Difficulties
Researchers are developing a new, affordable smart shoe insert designed to improve mobility for individuals experiencing gait impairment – difficulty with walking – frequently enough associated with conditions like stroke and Parkinson’s disease. The device, developed by a team at Georgia Tech led by W. Hong Yeo, a professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, offers a potential option to time-consuming and expensive physical therapy.
The insole contains over 170 thin, flexible sensors that meticulously measure foot pressure, a critical indicator of balance. This data collection aims to identify patterns that precede falls, a notable risk for those with gait issues and cited as a leading cause of injury.The research was detailed in a paper published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c08296).
A key innovation lies in the manufacturing process. The team utilizes screen-printing - a common and cost-effective technique already established in the electronics industry – to create the sensors. This approach allows for scalability and keeps production costs down, with the goal of maintaining a price point under $100.
The device is designed for accessibility and ease of use. It’s thin enough for cozy wear and integrates seamlessly with existing assistive technologies via Bluetooth connectivity, allowing data to be transmitted to smartphones and perhaps integrated with health monitoring applications.
Researchers envision a wide range of applications, including pairing the insole with robotics to assist stroke and Parkinson’s patients and the elderly, and enabling athletes to analyze their performance. The high density of sensors also facilitates the application of machine learning algorithms to predict falls with greater accuracy.
Currently funded by the National Science Foundation, the device has been tested on healthy subjects. The team plans to expand testing to individuals with gait impairments and ultimately bring the device to market. Yeo stated the team’s intention is to ”bridge the gap between the lack of available devices in hospitals or medical practices and the lab-scale devices,” aiming for availability “now-not in 10 years.”
The development originated at Georgia Tech and was reported on September 18, 2025, by Georgia Tech news (https://news.gatech.edu/news/2025/09/18/step-forward-new-smart-shoe-insert-could-improve-mobility-people-walking-problems).
