Annually, nearly 300,000 Americans suffer hip fractures after a fall, and an average of 24% of hip-fracture patients aged 50 and over die in the year following their fracture, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. An MIT graduate student identified a need to monitor changes of balance in the elderly in an effort to detect problems and take steps to prevent a fall.

Incorporating ultra-thin sensors into a “smart shoe” known as the iShoe. iShoe insoles contain FlexiForce™  force sensors to measure and analyze force distribution on a patient’s foot. The data can then be reported back to their doctor. The iShoe could also be equipped to notify family members in the event of a fall. Future versions of the iShoe could help correct balance problems by providing sensory stimulation to the feet when it detects that the subject is deviating from his or her normal balance. FlexiForce sensors are ideal because their ultra-thin profile does not disrupt the subject’s natural gait.

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