Imagine living hours from the nearest hospital, and the only way to check your feet for signs of diabetes damage was to travel all the way to a big city clinic. For millions of people in remote areas, that is the reality. But new research from Brisbane, Australia, suggests artificial intelligence might soon change that.
Scientists at the University of Queensland, working with companies iOrthotics and Healthia Limited, have built an AI system that can map the pressure across someone's entire foot using just a few simple measurements. Their study, published in the journal Sensors, shows that detailed foot pressure maps normally requiring expensive hospital equipment can be reconstructed using information from as few as two points on the foot.
The research team, led by Emeritus Professor Martin Veidt, an expert in applied mechanics, asked 35 volunteers to help test the technology. UQ doctoral student Chongguang Wang trained an AI to take basic foot shape information and turn it into a full pressure map. The AI performed well using just 16 anatomical landmarks on the foot, and still produced useful results with only 2 landmarks.
Why does this matter? Foot pressure analysis helps doctors spot problems with balance, walking, and overall foot health. It is especially important for people with diabetes, whose feet can develop dangerous ulcers that sometimes lead to amputation. But the specialized equipment needed for this kind of testing is often too costly or too hard to find in rural and remote communities.
Materials engineer Dr. Stuart McDonald said existing systems often require many sensors embedded in special shoes, which drives up cost and complexity. The new AI approach could simplify all of that.
Kerrie Evans from Healthia said foot complications including diabetic ulcers and amputations place a heavy burden on both patients and health systems. "Our goal is to support the development of practical, affordable technologies that can help clinicians better understand foot function and identify potential problems earlier," she said.
Professor Veidt said the beauty of the new system is that data collection could happen almost anywhere, even in isolated communities where health services are currently limited. While more research is needed before the technology reaches patients, the team is optimistic that AI could help bring better foot care to the people who need it most.