Curated by Jiwoo Lee | Serenity Health Data Lab
For diabetes patients, a small wound on the foot is like a time bomb. When the sensation in the feet becomes dull due to peripheral neuropathy, one may not feel pain even if a small stone in the shoe pierces the skin. This wound can develop into an ulcer and eventually lead to the terrible chain reaction of amputation—a sequence that 'Internet of Things (IoT) sensors' can perfectly disrupt.
Up to 30 days before an ulcer (wound) becomes visible to the naked eye, 'subtle temperature rises' occur within the skin of the affected area due to inflammation. Modern smart insoles or smart socks have dozens of high-precision temperature and pressure sensors embedded in them to scan these minute heat changes (Hot Spots) in real-time.
"The temperature of a specific area on your right foot is more than 2.5 degrees high. There is a risk of ulceration; please stop walking immediately and check your foot."
Early smart socks were difficult to wash, making them inconvenient for seniors to use daily. To compensate for this, smart insoles have emerged. Parents can simply slip these insoles into the sneakers or walking shoes they normally enjoy wearing. Pressure concentration and temperature data applied to the soles of the feet while walking are automatically transmitted to a smartphone app.
💡 Data Sharing with Guardians: If a parent's foot pressure data abnormally shifts to one side (asymmetric walking to avoid pain), a push notification is immediately sent to the child's smartphone. Seeing this notification, the child can hurry to make a hospital appointment.
★ Data senses the places where pain has disappeared.
Diabetic foot disease is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation worldwide. IDF data show that 15–25% of diabetic patients will experience at least one foot ulcer in their lifetime, and five-year mortality rates after amputation exceed 50%. Yet up to 85% of amputations are preventable through early detection and proactive care.
Peripheral neuropathy announces its arrival through six characteristic warning signs: ① A sensation of walking on cotton or wearing an invisible sock — a persistent foreign-body feeling on the sole. ② Nocturnal burning pain — a burning or freezing sensation in the feet and toes that worsens at night. ③ Reduced thermal sensitivity — inability to perceive hot water temperature accurately, leading to unnoticed scalding burns. ④ Diminished ankle reflex — reduced response when a physician taps below the knee. ⑤ Foot deformity — development of hammer toes or Charcot foot. ⑥ Color changes — pallor or cyanosis indicating circulatory compromise.
Smart insoles with infrared thermal sensors measure the temperature difference between corresponding sites on each foot at 0.1°C precision. A 2022 U.S. early diabetic foot study found that a thermal asymmetry of ≥2.2°C persisting for five or more consecutive days was associated with a 4.6-fold increase in ulceration risk. Just five minutes of daily walking with smart insoles can capture this warning signal automatically, with data transmitted directly to caregivers and physicians for timely intervention.
This content is educational health data curated from publicly available research. It does not replace professional medical advice or treatment.
Curated by Jiwoo Lee | Serenity Health Data Lab