Technology has helped people cure and manage the diseases they get. It has found solutions for conditions that were unknown to man before. However, as it is said that prevention is better than cure, researchers and scientists have followed exactly these words and brought forward a method to detect any conditions or symptoms before the onset of a disease.
A new Swinburne-based startup, SensFit Technologies, has designed a smart shoe that can detect early signs and symptoms of health conditions like diabetes, dementia, ulcers, and other physical activity issues for old people.
![Medical and technological requirements for Internet of Health Things (IoHT) for ambulatory gait monitoring. Icons modified and printed with permission of [3],[4] and [5]. Patient figure adapted from [6].](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320038104/figure/fig2/AS:631673230221313@1527614042002/Medical-and-technological-requirements-for-Internet-of-Health-Things-IoHT-for.png)
It has 87 sensors instilled with graphene ink inside the sole of the shoe. The design is proposed by the co-founder’s Professor Franz Konstantin Fuss, a medical technologies researcher, and Dr. Nishar Hameed. The sole of the shoe remembers and stores information about the movement of the foot.it uses Proprietary AI algorithms (that solve specific problems that translate into actions) analyzes the data and detects the symptoms.
Currently, the project is looking for $125,000 to develop the technology in its entire functionality and for the support of clinical trials of the shoe. Both of the founders have worked with the Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation students as part of the Venture in Action unit. These experiences have equipped them well to design an entrepreneurial project with medical applications.
The founders also hired students to find the right market fit for the product. They were, Minh My Hanh Le, Syed Anwar, Ali Omran, Zoe Halligan, and Ashley Walsh. The students came from different industrial backgrounds and were given the responsibility of marketing the product. The idea was pitched to 10 old age homes in Australia and the research was also extensive.
The founders stated that the students helped significantly in the project. In their words, ‘They put significant effort into understanding the marketing potential and opportunities for this technology in the aged care sector.’