title: Discrete sensors distribution for accurate plantar pressure analyses.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of discrete sensors under the footprint for accurate plantar pressure analyses. For this purpose, two different sensor layouts have been tested and compared, to determine which was the most accurate to monitor plantar pressure with wireless devices in research and/or clinical practice. Ten healthy volunteers participated in the study (age range: 23-58 years). The barycenter of pressures (BoP) determined from the plantar pressure system (W-inshoe®) was compared to the center of pressures (CoP) determined from a force platform (AMTI) in the medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) directions. Then, the vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) obtained from both W-inshoe® and force platform was compared for both layouts for each subject. The BoP and vGRF determined from the plantar pressure system data showed good correlation (SCC) with those determined from the force platform data, notably for the second sensor organization (ML SCC= 0.95; AP SCC=0.99; vGRF SCC=0.91). The study demonstrates that an adjusted placement of removable sensors is key to accurate plantar pressure analyses. These results are promising for a plantar pressure recording outside clinical or laboratory settings, for long time monitoring, real time feedback or for whatever activity requiring a low-cost system.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse III, UPS, PRISSMH, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Claverie
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse III, UPS, PRISSMH, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ille
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse III, UPS, Centre de Recherche sur la Cognition animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France; CNRS, Centre de Recherche sur la Cognition animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: pierre.moretto@univ-tlse3.fr.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moretto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gait; Low-cost system; Placement; Plantar pressure; Wireless sensors