Researchers from Taiwan’s National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University have created foot pressure sensing insoles for detecting Parkinson’s disease — a neurodegenerative disorder that, among other symptoms, affects a person’s gait.

The insole features eight FlexiForce sensors — which are pressure sensors that measure force between virtually any two surfaces — that detect the pressure across the wearer’s foot as he or she walks.

Source: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

The data captured by the sensors is subsequently processed by Raspberry Pi computers. Meanwhile, a machine learning model trained on data from a free online database featuring foot pressure data from both Parkinson’s and non-Parkinson’s participants identifies whether a user of the insoles demonstrates gait features associated with Parkinson’s disease.

More information about the insoles is detailed in the accompanying video that appears courtesy of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.