Grant: Idea to Innovation

The goal of this I2I Phase I project is to scale up our patent pending flexible pressure sensor device to high-density sensing array for complete gait pressure mapping to attract further investment and possible start-up. Accurate and high precision gait pressure mapping and monitoring is critical for motor performanceanalysis in many applications including gait impairment, orthopedics, sports medicine, tracking and body motion analysis. Gait pressure is strongly associated with various health conditions and a deviation from the baseline could provide important indication of the onset of a disease or disorder. Current non-wearable solutions are accurate however they are bulky, expensive and requires large specialized lab and trainer to operate. Wearable smart in-sole and pressure sensors are less costly however they suffer from, flexibility, accuracy and sensitivity required for disorder diagnostics and treatment monitoring. To address these challenges and demand in the market, we aim to utilize our patent pending (US 16/534547, CA 3051372 andUS 17/005845, CA 3092219) ultra-flexible and sensitive pressure sensor technology that can conformably fit and map the gait pressure distribution. Recently we developed a patent pending pressure sensor manufacturing method that is cost-effective but accurate with repeatable sensing capability. Additionally, the self-healing capabilities of our sensor make it ideal for disruptive wearable health monitoring technology. To transfer this technology to an industry ready platform and attract investment there are two main objectives (1) optimize polymer matrix forthe sensitivity and conformability required for accurate gait pressure sensing, (2) scale-up sensor array to demonstrate a viable product capable of 3D mapping of gait pressure distribution. This new sensor platform will create a ripple effect in other wearable pressure sensing systems including heath care, personal motion tracking, step detection, navigation and localization.