Instrumented insole vs. force plate: A comparison of center of plantar pressure

Abstract

Instrumented insoles allow analysis of gait outside of the confines of a motion analysis lab and capture motion data on every step. This study assesses the concurrent validity of center of plantar pressure (COPP) measurements during walking, and shows that our custom instrumented insoles compare favorably to an Advanced Mechanical Technology Inc. (AMTI) force plate in a clinical motion laboratory, particularly when the large difference in price is considered (an insole is nearly two orders of magnitude less expensive than a force plate). Deploying inexpensive insoles such as ours for ubiquitous health monitoring allows measurement of gait in more typical environments. This affords the opportunity to evaluate the gait of older adults in the home environment, and a future opportunity of providing real-time feedback corresponding to changes in gait.