A new type of smart insole might soon help people improve their posture, avoid injuries, and even detect early signs of health conditions like plantar fasciitis and Parkinson’s disease—just by tracking how they walk.
Developed by researchers at The Ohio State University, the smart insole is packed with 22 tiny pressure sensors and powered by small solar panels placed on the tops of shoes.
As people walk, run, or stand, the insole collects detailed data about how their feet move and how their body weight is distributed.
This information is then sent via Bluetooth to a smartphone, where it can be analyzed in real time.
Dr. Jinghua Li, one of the researchers behind the project, explained that our bodies constantly send out signals—through movements, pressure, and posture—that often go unnoticed.
By using smart electronics, the team aims to make those signals visible so people can monitor their health more easily.
Roughly 7% of Americans struggle with walking or moving around. While smart insoles have been in development for years, many earlier versions had issues with power and reliability.
This new design solves those problems by being self-powered, precise, and able to handle long-term use. In fact, the insoles held up well after 180,000 cycles of being pressed and released.
What makes this system even more advanced is its use of artificial intelligence.
The insole can recognize eight types of movement, including sitting, standing, walking, running, and squatting. Because the sensors are placed from heel to toe, the device can tell the difference between walking and running based on how pressure is applied across the foot.
For example, walking places pressure gradually from the heel to the toes, while running applies pressure to the whole foot more quickly and at once.
The flexible and safe materials make the insole comfortable to wear all day—similar to a smartwatch. After collecting sunlight, the solar panels store energy in tiny batteries that are safe and don’t interrupt daily activities.
In health care, these insoles could be a game-changer. They may help detect foot pressure issues in people with diabetes, catch early signs of musculoskeletal problems, and even track signs of neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. They can also support better fitness training, posture correction, and injury recovery.
The research team hopes to improve the system further by testing it on more people. They expect the smart insoles could be available to the public in three to five years. As Dr. Li puts it, “There’s so much useful information in the way we move. Now we’re finding ways to decode it and use it to take better care of ourselves.”
Source: Ohio State University.
