A Holter-type, microprocessor-based, rehabilitation instrument for acquisition and storage of plantar pressure data.

A Holter-type, microprocessor-based, portable, in-shoe, plantar pressure data acquisition system has been developed. The system allows continuous recording of pressure data between the sole of the foot and the shoe during the performance of daily living activities. Fourteen conductive polymer sensors acquire the plantar pressure history, which is then stored in the system memory. Pressures are sampled at a rate of 40 Hz from each of the 14 sensors for up to 8 hrs. The extended recording and processing capacity of the system developed in this study allows quantitative analysis of cumulative plantar pressure and temporal gait data necessary for characterization of event-related alterations in plantar pressures. The alterations that could be examined with the system include rehabilitative, therapeutic, surgical, and nonsurgical treatment. The system is fully portable and does not disrupt the natural gait pattern of the subject during ambulation. Peak plantar pressures, pressure-time integrals, and contact durations are determined for each of the insole sensors.

A Holter-type microprocessor-based rehabilitation instrument for acquisition and storage of plantar pressure data in children with cerebral palsy.

A multichannel, portable data acquisition system has been developed to measure discrete plantar pressures in the rehabilitation of children who have cerebral palsy and planovalgus foot deformity. The microprocessor-based system is designed to be lightweight (350 g with batteries) and portable (no umbilicus) in order to minimize encumbrances to gait patterns. It provides an improved method for obtaining accurate and reliable data during extended recording and rehabilitative periods that is not available from commercial systems. Twelve conductive polymer force (pressure) sensors are used to acquire pressure data, which are then stored in the system memory. Plantar pressures are sampled at a rate of 40 Hz from each of the 12 sensors for up to 2 h. The system consists of 16 analog amplifiers, a 12 b sampling analog-to-digital converter, an 8 b Dallas semiconductor microprocessor (DS5001FP-16, Dallas, TX), 4 MB of pseudo static RAM, and serial and parallel I/O interfaces. The interfaces are used to upload data into a PC for further processing, analysis, and display. During subject testing, sensors are located at predetermined anatomic areas under the calcaneus, medial and lateral midfoot, medial and lateral metatarsal heads, and hallux. Foot pressure data has been acquired from two pediatric subjects during multiple walking trials to illustrate system application in the normal and planovalgus foot. The system is considered to be appropriate for further clinical application and for characterization of event related alterations including rehabilitative, therapeutic, surgical, and nonsurgical treatment.

Computerized analysis and duplication of mandibular motion.

A new digital system has been devised to analyze and duplicate jaw motion. The arrangement of the electronic system offers a range of versatility which includes graphic as well as numerical data analysis. The duplicator linkage is identical to the sensor linkage which, together with an accurate model transfer system, results in an encouraging level of accuracy in jaw-motion duplication. The data collected from normal subjects should offer some new knowledge in the normal motions of the mandible as well as establish a reference for comparison with abnormal masticatory function.