Nasim Mahmoodi, PhD |University of Birmingham
Competition Sponsor: UK Research & Innovation
Awardee Year: 2022
Diabetes is a fast-growing public health issue, and the International Diabetes Federation estimated that 642 million will be affected by it by 2040 globally. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are known as major and common complications of diabetes, which can lead to a prolonged hospital stay. DFUs are a prevalent and serious global health issue that require significant use of health resources, including staff and treatment costs. The risk of DFUs and associated complications such as amputation is greater for older people, where half of the amputations are reported to be performed for people aged 65 and older.
DFUs are preventable if they are diagnosed or treated at early stages. Plantar temperature and pressure are believed to play an important role in DFUs development and monitoring these physical parameters can facilitate the early diagnosis of DFUs and reduce health-related complications and treatment costs. This project aims to develop a novel integrated insole device to monitor the plantar pressure and temperature simultaneously. This research has the potential to diagnose DFUs at an early stage by monitoring the patient’s data related to the temperature and pressure to avoid or delay foot ulcers and associated complications.
To learn more about this proposal email healthylongevity@nas.edu.