Foot function sensor

An insert for use with footwear, said insert comprising:

• a base sized for positioning on a support surface of the footwear, said base being made of material that bends in a foot support area upon application of a force thereto;
• at least one sensor associated with said base and positioned to sense a deflection of said support surface by a force sufficient to cause said support surface to bend by said user's foot in said foot support area, said at least one sensor being positioned and configured to bend and to transmit a detection signal reflective of said bending in said foot support area, said at least one sensor including a substrate which extends across said foot support area and having a resistance material made of a conductive ink and epoxy mixture deposited thereon which resistance material predictably changes electrical resistance of said resistance material upon bending;
• connector means connected to said resistance material of said at least one sensor to receive said detection signal from said at least one sensor and to transmit said detection signal;
• converter means connected to said connector means to receive said detection signal therefrom, said converter means being configured to receive said detection signal and to supply a digital detection signal reflective of said bending;
• and
• power supply means for supplying power to said sensor and said converter means.

A sensing system for use with left and right footwear, said sensing system comprising:

• a pair of inserts, a left insert configured for placement between the left support surface of said left footwear and said user's left foot, and a right insert configured for placement between a support surface of the right footwear and said user's right foot, each of said left and right inserts including:
• a base sized for positioning adjacent a respective support surface of said footwear,
• at least one sensor associated with each of said pads, each of said at least one sensor being positioned to sense bending of a respective support surface in a support area caused by a force applied by said user's foot, one of said at least one sensors being configured to transmit left detection signals reflective of said bending associated with said left foot and the other of said at least one sensors being configured to transmit right detection signals reflective of said bending associated with said right foot, said at least one sensor further comprising a substrate made of an electrically insulating material and which extends across its support area with a resistance material made of a conductive ink and epoxy mixture and deposited thereon which resistance material predictably changes electrical resistance of said resistance material upon deflection,
• connector means connected to said resistance material of said at least one sensor to receive said left detection signals and said right detection signals and to transmit said left and right detection signals, and
• converter means connected to said connector means to receive said left and right detection signals therefrom, said converter means being configured to receive said left and right detection signals and to supply left digital detection signals and right digital detection signals;
• memory means in communication with said converter means to receive said left digital detection signals and said right digital deflection signals therefrom, said memory means being configured to receive and store said left and right digital detection signals and to provide said left and right digital detection signals;
• computer means configured to receive said left digital detection signals and said right digital detection signals and to compute the bending of said left support surface reflected by said left digital detection signals and said right support surface reflected by said right digital detection signals and configured to display perceivable images reflective of said bending of said sensors;
• and
• power supply means for supplying power to said insert, said converter means, said memory means and said computer means.

A sensing system for use with footwear having a support that has support surface, said support being made of material that is deflectable by a force from each of a ball, an outside area and a heel of a user's foot, said sensing system comprising:

• a ball sensor positioned to sense a deflection of said support surface proximate said ball of said user's foot;
• an outside sensor positioned proximate said outside area of said user's foot;
• and
• a heel sensor positioned proximate said heel as a user's foot;
• each of said ball sensor, said outside sensor and said heel sensor being positioned and configured to extend across said ball, said outside area and said heel to bend upon deflection and to generate ball deflection signals, outside deflection signals and heel deflection signals respectively, each of said ball sensor, said outside sensor and said heel sensor further including a substrate made of an electrically insulating material with a layer of electrical resistance material made of a conductive ink and epoxy mixture and deposited thereon which electrical resistance material predictably changes electric resistance upon bending into an indentation caused by said user's foot;
• connector means in communication with said electrical resistance material of each of said ball sensor, said outside sensor and said heel sensor to receive said ball deflection signals, said outside deflection signals and said heel deflection signals and to transmit said ball detection signals, said outside detection signals and said heel detection signals;
• converter means in communication with said connector means to receive said ball detection signals, said outside detection signals and said heel detection signals therefrom, said converter means being further configured to supply digital detection signals reflective of said ball detection signals, said outside detection signals and said heel detection signals;
• memory means in communication with said converter means to receive said digital detection signals therefrom, said memory means being further configured to store and provide said converted digital detection signals;
• computer means in communication with said memory means and configured to receive said converted digital detection signals from said memory means and to form images that reflect the force applied by each of said ball, said outside and said heel of said user's foot;
• and
• power supply means for supplying power to said insert, said converted means, said memory means and said computer means.

A sensing system for use with footwear having a support that has a support surface, said support being made of material that is deflectable by a force from each of a ball, and a heel of a user's foot, said sensing system comprising:

• a ball sensor positioned to sense a deflection of said support surface proximate said ball of said user's foot;
• a heel sensor positioned proximate said heel of a user's foot;
• each of said ball sensor and said heel sensor being positioned and configured to bend upon deflection and to generate ball deflection signals and heel deflection signals, respectively, each of said ball sensor and said heel sensor further including a substrate made of an electrically insulating material with a layer of electrical resistance material made of a conductive ink and epoxy mixture deposited thereon which electrical resistance material predictably changes electrical resistance upon bending into an indentation caused by said ball and said heel of said user's foot;
• connector means in communication with said electrical resistance material of each of said ball sensor and said heel sensor to receive said ball deflection signals and said heel deflection signals and to transmit said ball detection signals and said heel detection signals;
• converter means in communication with said connector means to receive said ball detection signals and said heel detection signals therefrom, said converter means being further configured to supply converted digital detection signals reflective of said ball detection signals and said heel detection signals;
• memory means in communication with said converter means to receive said converted digital detection signals therefrom, said memory means being further configured to store and provide said converted digital detection signals;
• computer means in communication with said memory means and configured to receive said converted digital detection signals from said memory means and to form sensible data that reflects the force applied by each of said ball and said heel of said user's foot;
• and
• power supply means for supplying power to said insert, said converter means, said memory means and said computer means.