Development and calibration of 6-axis force sensor for simultaneous measuring of plantar deformation

This paper presents a design concept of a novel 6-axis force sensor with simultaneous plantar deformation measurement by high-speed cameras under the sensor is presented. The sensor is based on two custom beams and some strain gages in order not to be limited a view of the high-speed cameras. In walking analysis research field, the 6-axis force and plantar skin deformation are very important factors to identify the risk of fall and to reduce risk of fall-related injuries in elderly populations. However, there were no sensor can measure 6-axis force and plantar skin deformation simultaneously. In this paper, the design of the sensor is described and perpendicular axis calibration results are shown. Furthermore, the walking experimental results show that the development sensor can be used for walking analysis.