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International Journal of Electronics Automation Review Article

Orthostride: An Internet of Medical Things-Enabled Smart Rehabilitation Footwear System for Real-Time Monitor

  1. Jophit Sebastian Department of Electronics and Communication, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally
  2. S. Jeevan Narayanan Department of Electronics and Communication, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally
  3. Geo Mathew Department of Electronics and Communication, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally
  4. Mariyan Mathew Department of Electronics and Communication, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally
  5. Ranjitha Rajan Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally

Abstract

The orthopedic rehabilitation goal of controlled weight bearing, a stable gait progression, and early recognition of hazardous situations for safe mobility is traditionally met through time, scheduled in-clinic observation and clinician induction, and patient report. In this work, Orthostride, a smart rehabilitation footwear prototype intended to augment postoperative and injury-related lower extremity restoration through continuous sensing, embedded decision logic, local feedback, and remote telemetry, is proposed. This system incorporates force sensitive resistor sensors in primary heel, midfoot, and forefoot contact regions of the orthopedic user for load distribution measurement estimation, an inertial measurement unit for motion dynamics measurement, an embedded microprocessor for local interpretation, and tone vibration motors for immediate tactile communication of unsafe loading or atypical motion. A wireless communication platform transmits pressure and motion data to a mobile and cloud pathway where it is further monitored for adherence outside the clinic. Testing of this prosthesis prototype demonstrated the ability of the sensing architecture to distinguish pressure variation across heel, midfoot, and forefoot regions, sense catalyzing motion patterns indicative of trips or falls, and trigger haptic cues in less than 100 msec following trigger value breach. This prosthesis design was implemented using low-cost and compact components with a prototype material cost of roughly 2245 Indian rupees. From this prototype work, it was found that a footwear platform equipped with gait monitoring, fall risk detection, real-time feedback, and remote tele-rehabilitation was possible. This is an engineering validation prototype pending extended calibration procedures, durability assessments, clinical validation, and regulatory clearance required for patient application. The work nonetheless demonstrates a technically feasible approach to low-cost, data driven at-home rehabilitation that reduces hazardous loading, enhances prescribed weight-bearing, and maintains seamless linkage between inpatient supervision and daily recovery.

Keywords

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