Path Feel by Lise Pape from uk

Path Feel is a shoe insole that helps the wearer to “feel the floor” better when walking, to prevent overbalancing and resulting falls. Path Feel is designed for individuals with sensory deficit on the bottom of their feet, such as the elderly, people who have sustained injury or persons with serious diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The product works by providing active feedback to the wearer through vibration (haptics) to the sole of the foot as pressure is applied during walking. Other potential applications include rehabilitation of patients who have diminished capability of walking and also sports enhancement training.

Path Feel offers both hardware and software solutions. The hardware aspects of the product can be used standalone to assist the wearer as they walk to increase their mobility and to avoid falls. The software solution provides a unique opportunity to gather data on the mobility and
balance of an individual. This data promises an opportunity for intervention and learning in the real life setting. Path Feel integrates sensors and motors. The sensors activate the motors in real time, and can also be used to capture the data which is transmitted via bluetooth.

The inspiration for Path Feel is based on personal experience of disease in the family. It is based on user insights gathered with patients, carers and medical professionals, and continuous product experiments and iterations.