Background

Conclusions

Acknowledgement

Materials & Methods Results

Future Work

Aims / Objectives

• Use force sensitive resistors to measure force being exerted by the subject. • Using these resistors along with a DAQ Data Acquisition unit to filter the signal

received so as to display the forces clearly.• Filter out minor forces that may occur due to tapping of feet or other minor foot

movements while seated.• Drown out walking activities while the system is being worn and used so that not

every step that is taken is also recorded in the information.• Comprehensive testing on a range of human subjects to ensure a quality

understanding of the different forces that may be applied by different subjects.• Use the system in correlation with the force plates provided by the college to

verify the different forces being applied to humans in everyday life.• Use different footwear such as slippers, dress shoes, casual runners or even test

barefoot to see if any certain type of footwear may have an effect on the study.

• Measurement of foot pressures from a subject that is rising from a seated position foran accurate study on forces acting on the body

• Many people today suffer with flat feet or may use orthotics with their shoe. The ideawill be to try discover how these may effect or aid the way we transfer body weightfrom the sitting position to the standing position.

• Certain pressure points on the foot exert a different amount of force to others.Pinpointing these spots can lead to a greater understanding of the forces acting on theskeletal system.

• Force plates have been used in the past to find the general forces that occur whilewalking and standing as well as the transition from sitting to standing.

• Different types of shoes that people may wear from exercise shoe to a dress shoe andwith subjects that are both male and female.

• This project will show a clear sequence of the foot pressures that the person completeswhen transfering the weight from the trunk of the body to the feet and base.

• A National Instruments Data Acquisition Unit was used in the development of the the force measurement unit.

• The DAQ was a USB 6212 with 16 analog inputs which suited this project perfectly due to the amount of data being collected.

• Labview was programming language used in the project which allowed for a user freindly interface by the end of the project.

• To measure the forces at the base of the foot, Force Sensitive Resistors were used as they are non-intrusive.

• The placement of the sensors is shown in figure 2. • After extensive research was carried out, these positions

on the foot seemed to be the sections in which most pressure is applied.

• In figure 3 it shows the phases that a subject will pass through while in the process of standing up.

• The idea will be that the most pressure will be seen during Phase II of this process during the Extension.

Fig.1 NI USB 6212

Fig.2

Fig.3 Process from Sit-to-Stand

Fig.7 Monitor Display

• The figure below shows the final data that is given at the end of a subjects test.

• In the graphs, Left Graph-Left Foot and the Right Graph-Right Foot, we see in this case the subject is seated and resting on the ball of their foot due to the white and green plots being dominant. As the red plot increases (Heel) it is clear that the transition from sitting to standing is taking place.

• Moving down the left of the figure the Mean and Highest value for each sensor is shown.

• While beneath the graph there is a table for each sensor plotting each bit of data from the plot on the graph.Fig.6 DAQ to FSR conector circuit

• Below in figure 4 there is a small portion of the programming used to analyse the signals that are being processed.

• This part of the code shows how to get the Highest value within the test and how keep the data collected in an array.

Fig. 4

Research the Forces applied to the Foot during the Transition from Sitting to StandingRobert Kiely, 09347682

Department of Electronic & Electrical EngineeringNational University of Ireland Galway, Ireland

Professor Gearóid ÓLaighinE-mail: gearoid.olaighin@nuigalway.ie Phone: 091-492685

• Footwear, it was found in certain subjects that were not of a sporting backround and had also poor supportive shoes that it was prone to Pronation favouring the inside of the foot. Other subjects from a sporting background tended to Suppinate which favours the outside of the foot.

• Seat height also tested it was found that the higher the seat the less stress it caused on the foot.

• While many more studies including footwear were tested from the results recieved it is believed that bare feet is the best option.

• Kistler force plates were used however the data received was unable to tell whether the subject pronates or supinates. As seen in figure... compared to that of figure...

• Developing a wireless device so gate analysis can be the next step.• Continue with the research and test more subject to verify conclusions.• Devlop a shoe with a built in device to count steps as well as the pattern of the steps

throughout the day.• Increase the number of sensors on the base of the foot for a more in depth look at the

science of the foot.

• The FSR's plotted and recorded the main points on each foot showing a clear pattern with which testing could be done.

• A portable device could not be developed due to the restriction of the usb connection to the DAQ.

• Testing had been completed looking into footwear and seat height showing clear differences in different show especially with female footwear and orthothics in both male and female.

• Being able to return to previous results from the same subject was a succcess allowing for quick and safe analysis.