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A super-thin insole tells doctors what’s wrong with your foot.

Sprained ankle. Meniscus tear. Shin splints. Ugly injuries, to be sure, but more often than not athletes--and their doctors--have trouble pinpointing the underlying cause. Germany-based Moticon is seeking to change all that with OpenGo Science, a new insole that fits discreetly in athletes' shoes and delivers data to sports scientists. The ultra-thin layer is laden with sensors and can fit in any shoe.

Sprained ankle. Meniscus tear. Shin splints. Ugly injuries, to be sure, but more often than not athletes–and their doctors–have trouble pinpointing the underlying cause. Germany-based Moticon is seeking to change all that with OpenGo Science, a new insole that fits discreetly in athletes’ shoes and delivers data to sports scientists. The ultra-thin layer is laden with sensors and can fit in any shoe. Once the insole is in place, it can measure weight distribution, motion patterns and the temperature of the foot. The data is then transmitted to a USB drive to be uploaded to a computer, where a software program, Beaker, translates it into easy-to-read graphs that detail how the foot is being used and if changes need to be made. Not only can this enable doctors and personal trainers to detect the cause of injuries, the insole can also offer information about the patient’s recovery process, allowing them to recommend the optimum therapy. 

The March 2024 Issue

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