European project on the development of a novel Wireless, wearable Shoe-based system for real time monitoring of Energy Expenditure and Gait parameters for Sport and Medical Applications.

WiShoe is coordinated by CYRIC - Cyprus Research and Innovation Center and is supported by the European Commission through the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-SME-2013, Grant agreement no: 605777).

Interesting? Send us e-mail

The Wi-Shoe is a completely non-intrusive wearable shoe-based system used for measuring kinematic gait parameters and energetic expenditure during various activities. The Wi-Shoe system integrates miniature sensors in a custom designed shoe sole. Different types of shoes can be made based on novel shoe sole designs. Wi-Shoe answers the actual need of the healthcare, rehabilitation and sport sectors for a person-centric product that will allow continuous monitoring of the subject without the need for an expert’s intervention, promoting the role of “home as care environment”.

Data from the Wi-shoe will be wirelessly sent to a nearby smartphone for analysis and evaluation of the subject's condition and gait performance. The system has different levels of users, including expert support that can set-up the Wi-Shoe system and provide help and advice to the user. The system will also offer historical analysis of results and can be easily extended by combining it with an additional wireless sensors. Wi-Shoe novelty lies on the fact that it is the first time that such an integrated approach for measuring both kinematic gait parameters and energetic expenditure during various activities is presented. Measurements accuracy will also be significantly higher, compared to most available market solutions. Furthermore, the use of the Wi-Shoe system is much simpler with respect to all currently available solutions, since for the subject it is just a pair of shoes that he/she needs to wear. The Wi-Shoe will not require frequent calibration and most importantly, it can be used at home or wherever the subject prefers in everyday activities. In addition, the Wi-Shoe will allow remote monitoring of the subjects, without the need for continuous expert intervention. In this way, Wi-Shoe will improve and support the monitored subject’s sense of independence, which is of major psychological importance. The lack of cables running on the subject’s legs is of major importance for this advanced sense of independence.

Objectives

• To improve competitiveness of the participating SMEs through the development and validation of an innovative gait and EE monitoring system
• To enhance, by experimentation, scientific understanding on the way that shoe dimensions affect a person’s mobility
• To develop detail specifications of Wi-Shoe mechanical, electrical and electronic components
• To test the Wi-Shoe system according to the latest standards, to ensure safety, reliability and performance
• To develop the Wi-Shoe App for the web and for smartphones.
• To develop a calibration device for Wi-Shoe
• To demonstrate the functionality of the Wi-Shoe system under real conditions
• To prepare publications and to participate in conferences & trade fairs for the presentation of the Wi-Shoe
• To develop an exploitation plan.

Work packages: In order to achieve the objectives, the Wi-Shoe work plan is divided into 8 work packages (WPs), each targeting different objectives, tasks and expected results.
WP1: Specification of Wi-Shoe functional and technical requirements and identification of the target sector needs
WP2: Design & Development of the Electromechanical components module (ECM)
WP3: Design & Development of the Wi-Shoe shoe and sole
WP4: Design & Analysis Software Development
WP5: System integration and validation
WP6: Demonstration of the Wi-Shoe system
WP7: Dissemination and Exploitation
WP8: Consortium management

The Consortium

	CY.R.I.C Cyprus Research and Innovation Center ltd (Cyprus)
	Podartis SRL (Italy)
	Animus Kentro Apotherapeias Kai Apokatastasis Anonymi Etairia (Greece)
	A. Potamitis Medicare ltd (Cyprus)
	Ateknea Solutions Catalonia, SA (Spain)
	Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Pentru Mecatronica si Tehnica Masurarii - I.N.C.D.M.T.M. BUCURESTI (Romania)
	Electronics Design, Ltd (Estonia)
	Ethniko Kentro Erevnas kai Technologikis Anaptyxis (Greece)
	Athlitikos Podosferikos Omilos Appolon Lemesou Leschi (Cyprus)
	Christos Papadopoulos & Sia O.E. (Greece)