Abstract
Neurological and orthopedic chronic diseases are proven to numerous
complications and related dysfunction for patients, and are leading
factors of death and disability. Conventional methods of diagnosis and
rehabilitation are conducted at hospitals. However, due to the aging
society and controversial privacy protection, traditional methods
implemented in medical institutions have faced numerous challenges.
Hence, internet of healthcare things (IoHT) based techniques have
recently begun to be implemented. In order to provide flexible
utilization and secure privacy for patients, wearable devices, like
whole body devices based on electromyography (EMG) and radio frequency
identification (RFID) insole systems, based on gait-analysis were
applied. Among these techniques, insole systems for medical analysis are
more suitable, because the root cause of neurologic and orthopedic
chronic diseases are directly related to several gait characteristics.
Neurologic and orthopedic chronic diseases are caused by lesions of the
central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nerves (PN) and orthopedic
limbs, similarly gait features are comprehensive results generated by
the coordination of CNS, PN and lower limbs However, owing to lack of
standards for instrumentation and the knowledge gap between engineering
and pathogenic mechanism, the medical application of insole systems and
the development of IoHT are hindered. This article is presented to
address these issues. In this context, five plantar sensing mechanisms
and their related products will be overviewed. Next, pathogenic
mechanisms and pathological gait features of six representative chronic
neurologic diseases will be displayed. Likewise, the development of
corresponding insole systems for supervision and recovery for these
diseases will be reviewed as well. Finally, challenges and future trends
for current work will be discussed. This article will not only provide
guidelines for the design of insole systems targeted for specific
diseases but will also inspire the innovation of novel ideas.