Blundstone Intelligent Footwear for Healthcare

Integrating design, technology, and cutting-edge footwear to understand occupational health and safety risks in healthcare.

Healthcare workers face some of the most demanding workplace environments leading to discomfort, musculoskeletal injury, and fatigue. This project brings together Blundstone’s rich history in workplace safety with Monash University’s research into cutting-edge fabrication, sensor technologies, and user-centred design to develop an intelligent shoe that provides real-time Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) insights.

This project was driven by a clinical need identified by design ethnography at Monash University. Clinicians needed data about pressure patterns in patients, especially those at high-risk of foot-injuries such as people with diabetes. Current systems for data collection were external, bulky, expensive, and too cumbersome to be used outside the lab for real-world continuous data collection. Through custom sensor research and development, SensiLab developed a low-cost pressure and temperature sensing system underpinned by machine-learning data analysis. Together with Blundstone we researched advanced materials and manufacturing techniques to integrate these sensors into a bespoke lightweight shoe.

In addition to providing machine-learning driven insights on gait, pressure, load-lifting, and task classification, the intelligent footwear also integrates a number of new material, manufacturing and design process innovations. These include; integrating sustainable materials, a computer knitted elastic collar, a lightweight ‘active’ midsole, and novel digital design workflows including scanning and 3D printed mould-making.

In 2022 this project was a Good Design Award Gold Winner in the Design Research category and a winner of the Design Institute of Australia Merit Award.

Media

9News: Researchers and famous boot maker developing 'smart boot' for healthcare workers