Imma Perfetto
Cosmos science journalist
Engineering students from the US have invented a sock that’s bound to put a spring in the step of people living with diabetic neuropathy – a type of nerve damage that most often effects the legs and feet.
The wearable device incorporates transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) – which blocks pain signals to the brain – and vibration therapy, which provides tactile feedback to help with balance issues.
They’ve named it StimuSock.
“Existing products or devices used to treat the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are either pharmaceuticals or large at-home vibration devices users stand on,” says Rice University engineering student Abby Dowse, one of the inventors of the device.
“But none of them can both treat pain and improve balance, which our device aims to do by combining the TENS and the vibrational therapy in one wearable, portable, user-controllable and easy-to-use device.”
Up to half of all people with diabetes develop neuropathy; currently there are 1.5 million Australians living with diabetes and is projected to grow to more than 3.1 million by 2050.
The StimuSock team combined the existing therapies for neuropathy into a single device, while prioritising a user-centred design.
“The intent is for the patient to be able to wear the device for the whole day,” adds engineer Yannie Guo.
“Even when everything’s off and they don’t want the electrostimulation or haptics effect, they can still wear their device… You don’t want it to look like you’re wearing an ankle monitor.”
StimuSock is o be used in conjunction with a smartphone app that allows patients to control the type, intensity, and duration of the therapeutic stimulus, as well target specific areas of the foot depending on individual needs.
The sock stimulates three regions: one in the front of the insole, one in the middle and one at the back.
The team anticipates final design will have enough battery life to provide the recommended maximum of four 30-minute sessions of TENS therapy per day and operate on standby for the rest of the day.
The team presented StimuSock at the annual Rice University Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen showcase on 13 April.