Shoes to improve balance of elderly by putting them on unpredictable ground

Old age is related to lots of problems and maintaining balance while walking is one of them. Their is a logic which says that the mobility of the older people can be improved by making it more difficult for them to walk. I know it may sound absurd but you have to believe it. The same principle has been used by researchers at Glasgow's University of Strathcly to develop an innovative training shoe called Re-Step. The shoe has been developed in collaboration with Israeli medical products company Step of Mind Ltd. (SoM). Four motors are fixed on the bottom of each shoe, which makes it tough for the wearer to walk.

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The angle and inclination of the sole are altered randomly in the Re-Step system. The researchers claim that it helps the brain to work harder to maintain balance and keep walking, which improves the function in the parts of the brain responsible.

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David Carus, an Honorary Research Fellow in the University of Strathclyde's Faculty of Engineering, says:

The SMILING solution uses four motors in each shoe which react differently with every step taken by the person. This challenges the user to actively respond to the situation as they can't see what is coming next to allow time for an appropriate course of action.

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The parameters of the wearer's gait are also measured and recorded by the Re-Step shoes. The data are analyzed using specialized software. The progress of the wearer is tracked by the software that makes recommendations via a user interface, which is very user friendly.

Via: Gizmag