3D printed markers track foot movements to improve future footwear design

Recently, researchers in Belgium have developed an in-shoe analysis tool that uses 3D printed markers, consisting of a substrate and markers, to track foot movements, and an exercise system that can improve future footwear designs.

The analysis of foot kinematics can be used for gait, and sports kinematics can also use such analysis to help athletes improve their performance. Find out more about the laws of our foot movements and help find more suitable sports and everyday footwear.

In order to obtain accurate data on the movement of the foot, it is necessary to install sensing devices in different parts of the human foot to analyze the data of walking, running and various steps of the movement.

The problem is that these markers can be difficult to apply, making it harder to ensure that they are placed exactly the same on the feet during multiple tests, or that it is difficult to find a pair of shoes for the person being tested because they are installed on their feet. .

Researchers Maarten Eerdekens, FilipStaes, Thomas Pilkington and KevinDeschamps have developed a new study on how to use 3D printing to solve these problems.

Researchers say they have developed "magnetic-based 3D printed markers that can be reused for in-shoe measurements" and "shoes that adapt to specific multi-leg models."

Simply put, these motion markers are designed to fit on a pair of shoes that have been dug a lot of holes. Without these holes, the markers will not be visible and cannot be tracked by the system.

But 3D printed markers also have a clever function: they are divided into two parts, a bottom plate and a test rod, both connected by magnetic.

Both parts of the marker were printed in 3D using Stratasys' VeroWhite Plus Polyjet material, which had a tensile strength of 50-65 MPa, a polymerization density of 1.17 g/cm3, and a flexural strength of 110 MPa.

According to the researchers, the 3D printed markup completes their task, and the expert performs multiple tests while keeping the feet marked in the same area.

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