Development of 3D-printed in-sole hydrogel-based sensor for early diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcers

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Diabetes is a fast-growing public health issue, and the International Diabetes Federation estimated that 642 million will be affected by it by 2040 globally. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are known as major and common complications of diabetes, which can lead to a prolonged hospital stay. DFUs are a prevalent and serious global health issue that requires significant use of health resources, including staff and treatment costs. The risk of DFUs and associated complications such as amputation is greater for older people, where half of the amputations are reported to be performed for people aged 65 and older. DFUs are preventable if they are diagnosed or treated at early stages. Plantar temperature and pressure are believed to play an important role in DFUs development and monitoring these physical parameters can facilitate the early diagnosis of DFUs, reduce health-related complications and treatment costs. This project aims to develop a novel integrated insole hydrogel-based sensor to simultaneously monitor the plantar pressure and temperature. This research has the potential to diagnose DFUs at an early stage by monitoring the patients' feet data related to the temperature and pressure in order to avoid or delay foot ulcers and associated complications. It offers huge savings in terms of clinical resources and can significantly improve the lives of millions of people worldwide. It will also provide data for the future development of an artificial neural network, with the potential to be used in predictive modelling to support clinical decisions.