Smart insole and application thereof

Abstract

A smart insole for a shoe has a plurality of sensors, a wireless communication device, and a microcontroller unit connected thereto. The smart insole and/or the shoe are configured to monitor the movement of a subject and to send sensor data to an external device. The external device, e.g., a computing device, is equipped to analyze the sensor data using an algorithm. The result of the analysis can be further sent to another device accessible to the subject or a person advising the subject. The subject can adjust his/her movements according to the result of the analysis. The plurality of sensor may include sensors configured to measure pressure, VOCs, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, hydration level, position & balance, body strain, neurological functioning, brain activity, cranial pressure, auscultatory information, body fat density, and muscle density.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A smart insole comprising: a top layer, a bottom layer, and a substrate disposed between the top layer, the bottom layer, and a plurality of sensors disposed on the substrate, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a pressure sensor, a gas sensor, a wireless communication device, and a microcontroller unit connected to the plurality of sensors, the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         2 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises one or more sensor selected from a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a physiological sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. 
     
     
         3 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a flexible printed circuit board. 
     
     
         4 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is made of a piezoresistive, piezoelectric, or capacitive material. 
     
     
         5 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is stretchable, contains an elastomer material selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane, thermoplastic polyurethane, silicone rubber, fluorinated elastomers, butadiene-based elastomers, isoprene-based elastomers, styrene-butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, natural rubber, and synthetic rubbers such as neoprene, nitrile rubber, and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. 
     
     
         6 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the gas sensor is an electrochemical sensor, a chemiresistor, a metal oxide, an infrared sensor, or an optical sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , wherein the gas sensor is configured to detect volatile organic compounds selected from aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, sulfur containing compounds, esters, hydrocarbons and nitrogen containing compounds, propene, acetaldehyde, ethanol, acetonitrile, (E)-2-butene, (Z)-2-butene, 2-propenal, n-propanal, acetone, 2-propanol, dimethyl sulfide, 1-pentene, isoprene, n-Pentane, 1,3-dioxolane, 2-methyl-2-propenal, 2-methyl-propanal, 3-buten-2-one, 2-methyl Furan, n-butanal, 2-butanone, 3-methyl furan, ethyl acetate, 2-Butenal, 2-methyl-1,3-Dioxolane, 2-methyl-2-Pentene, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, (E)-2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, (Z)-2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 3-methyl-butanal, 2-methyl-butanal, isopropyl acetate, 2-pentanone, 2,5-dimethyl furan, allyl methyl sulfide, n-pentanal, 3-methyl-2-butenal, 1-heptene, 2-heptene, n-heptane, 2-ethyl-butanal, 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, isobutyl acetate, 2-hexanone, n-hexanal, gamma-butyrolactone, n-butyl acetate, (E)-2-hexenal, 1-octene, n-octane, 2-heptanone, n-heptanal, benzaldehyde, 1-nonene, n-nonane, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 2-pentyl-furan, b-pinene, n-octanal, p-cymene, DL-limonene, styrene, eucalyptol, n-nonanal, 2-ethylhexanol, 3-methylhexane, butyraldehyde, ethylbenzene, ethyl butanoate, toluene, undecane, H 2 O, CO, NO, N 2 O, NO 2 , ammonia, acetophenone, 4-methylphenol, Dodecane, Dimethyl pyrazine,2-Pentanol, 2-butanol, 2-pentene, 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate, 2-methoxy-5-methylthiophene, amyl isovalerate; 2-methylbutyl 2-methylbutyrate, 6-tridecane, 3-methyl-1H-pyrrole, 2-methyl-3-(2-propenyl)-pyrazine, 2,3-dimethyl-5-isopentylpyrazine, methyl thiolacetate, methyl thiocyanate, hydrogen cyanide, 2-aminoacetophenone, 1-undecene, formaldehyde, dimethyl ether, carbon dioxide, pentafluoropropionamide, methyl cyclohexane, 2-methylbutanol, n-propyl acetate, butanal, 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran, carbon disulfide, methyl propanoate, methyl butanoate, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, hydrogen sulfide, propanol, indole, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, butanol, 2-tridecenone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, 3-nitro-benzenesulfonic acid, isobutyric acid, methyl ester, 1,2-dimethyl-benzene, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, isopentyl 3-methylbutanoate, 2,4-dinitro-benzenesulfonic acid, decanal, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-phenylethanol, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, 2-methylbutanoic acid, methyl mercaptan, 2-nonanone, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methylbutanoic acid, dimethyl trisulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and acetic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors disposed on the substrate, wherein the plurality of sensor further comprises one or more sensors configured to measure heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, hydration level, position & balance, body strain, neurological functioning, brain activity, cranial pressure, auscultatory information, body fat density, and muscle density. 
     
     
         9 . The smart insole of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source. 
     
     
         10 . The smart insole of  claim 9 , wherein the power source is selected from a rechargeable battery, a solar panel, or a piezoelectric generator for energy harvesting. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe comprising a smart insole of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11 , further comprising a data processor connected to the plurality of sensors, a wireless communication device to the data processor, and a power source connected to the data processor, the wireless communication device, and the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         13 . A method of monitoring a movement of a subject, comprising: causing the subject to wear the smart insole of  claim 1 ; sensing a pressure caused by and gas emanated from the subject using the plurality of sensors; and sending sensor data wireless to a computing device for analysis. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising sending a result of the analysis from the computing device to a portable device selected from a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet, a smart goggle, and a headset. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the movement of the subject based on a result of the analysis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the subject has a musculoskeletal injury. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the computing device employs a machine learning algorithm to analyze the sensor data.