Bangalore, August 3, 2007: An innovative medical device developed by New Zealand-based Zephyr Technology could prevent amputations in people with diabetes through early detection of foot problems and is being defended by international experts for its potential to significantly improve quality of life for people with the condition.

 

Zephyr has developed a high-tech inner sole for shoes that will help detect and prevent foot ulcerations in diabetics. Using sensor technology combined with novel algorithms, Zephyr makes smart fabrics that gather information on such things as heartbeat, skin temperature, posture, activity and breathing rates. They are used for measuring performance and condition with applications in the health, defense and medical markets.

 

Now Zephyr is working with scientists headed by Patria Hume at AUT University to develop its ShoePod product, an inner shoe sole fitted with sensor technology, into a device that can detect foot ulceration in diabetics, potentially reducing a major health problem that results in 90,000 amputations each year in the United States.

 

Zephyr’s Director of Business Development, Mr Steven Small, said, “Around 85 per cent of the amputations performed on diabetics in the US each year could be prevented with the new ShoePod. People with advanced type 2 diabetes frequently lose feeling in their feet so they aren’t aware of the first signs of the ulceration that can eventually lead to amputation. Our goal is to develop a variant of the ShoePod that can measure temperature as well as pressure to give an early alert of potential problems.”

 

The company indicates that key advantages of the Zephyr innovation will be its reliance on fewer sensors than other products, making it simple to use and affordable for individuals who might otherwise have to go to a clinic to be connected to sophisticated monitoring equipment. The R&D will also provide the means for information from the ShoePod to be easily accessed through a mobile phone or the Internet. The New Zealand government supports this R&D effort with a grant of $348,000 through the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.