FR3088552A1 - Insole and stimulation method - Google Patents

Abstract

Insole (1) adapted to be placed in a shoe (C) worn by a person, in particular during a walking period of the person, the insole (1) comprising: force measurement unit and / or pressure (30) adapted to acquire at least one measurement representative of the force and / or pressure exerted on the insole (1) by the person, a motion measurement acquisition unit (50) adapted to acquire at minus a measurement representative of a movement of the person's foot, and a processing unit (60) adapted to receive the measurement of force and / or pressure and the measurement of movement, to calculate at least one walking parameter and for command the emission of a stimulation at a time of walking according to the value of the walking parameter. Abstract figure: Fig. 4

Description

Description

Title of the invention: Insole and stimulation method

Technical Field [0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of stimulation for strengthening the capacities and the quality of walking of a person.

The invention therefore relates to, first, an inner sole of a shoe for stimulating a person, and second, a method of stimulating a person in which the person wears such a sole and a system comprising an integrated or associated stimulation unit.

PRIOR ART [0003] Devices are thus known which make it possible to stimulate a person, in particular in order to improve his walking abilities.

For example, the document US20090240171 describes a device for analyzing the walking asymmetry between the left and right feet of a person by measuring and comparing the time or the support phases during walking. A sensory response is provided to the person when a difference between these measured times or phases exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Technical problem [0005] However, such devices have drawbacks.

Indeed, these are often bulky and not very conducive to being used in a daily context.

In addition, although likely to have a satisfactory temporary effectiveness, such devices do not allow to have a prolonged effect since they are used for a relatively short period. Indeed, these devices are most often used during a specific session in a care structure, in the hospital or other.

[0008] Furthermore, such devices are difficult to personalize. However, the same stimulation is not necessarily suitable for all people, given the variability in morphologies or the response to stimulation between people. Their implementation therefore requires the presence of trained medical personnel to determine and adapt the stimulation to the person, which further complicates their adoption on a daily basis and their ease of use.

Furthermore, the stimulation of such devices is often repetitive and may have its effect diminish over time, in particular due to a phenomenon of habituation or habituation of the person, so that it is necessary to calibrate these devices at regular intervals over time so that they function satisfactorily over time.

Finally, such devices can be difficult to wear for the person because it is uncomfortable to use for a long time.

There is thus a need for a stimulation device which is simple, intelligent to use, accessible to non-medically trained personnel, which is compact and comfortable so that it can be used in a context of daily life, which significantly enhances the ability and quality of walking of a person, which is easily adaptable to the person to be used without complex modification by a variety of people and in a wide variety of everyday situations ( sloping land, stairs, etc.), or a type of step that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture to guarantee its accessibility to the general public.

Disclosure of the invention For this purpose, the invention has for first object an insole adapted to be arranged in a shoe worn by a person, in particular during a period of walking of the person, the insole including:

- a force and / or pressure measurement unit adapted to acquire at least one measurement representative of the force and / or the pressure exerted on the insole by the person,

- a motion measurement acquisition unit adapted to acquire at least one measurement representative of a movement of the person's foot, and

a processing unit adapted to receive the measurement of force and / or pressure and the measurement of movement, to calculate at least one walking parameter and to control the emission of a stimulation at a moment of walking as a function of the value of the running parameter.

According to one embodiment, the insole further comprises a stimulation unit adapted to be controlled by the processing unit and to emit the stimulation to stimulate the person's foot, [0014] According to another embodiment, the processing unit is adapted to determine in real time the timing of walking and to control the emission of stimulation in real time.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit is adapted to receive a new measurement of force and / or pressure and a new measurement of the movement acquired after the stimulation has been emitted, and to modify at least one parameter of the stimulation.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit is adapted to receive a new measurement of force and / or pressure and a new measurement of the movement acquired after the stimulation has been emitted, and to modify the moment of walking. when a subsequent stimulation is issued.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation unit is adapted to emit electrical stimulation.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation unit is adapted to emit haptic stimulation.

According to another embodiment, the force and / or pressure measurement unit comprises capacitive sensors, each sensor comprising an upper electrode and a lower electrode, separated from each other by a dielectric layer.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit is adapted to implement an operation for learning the parameters of the stimulation emitted by the stimulation unit.

According to another embodiment, the insole comprises a communication module with an external server, controlled by the processing unit, and adapted to transfer the measurement of force and / or pressure and the measurement of movement memorized to the server outside, especially after a period of movement of the person on foot.

In another embodiment, the insole is autonomous, the processing unit being adapted to control the emission of stimulation without communicating with an outside server, in particular without communicating with an outside server over a period of several hours , preferably several days, preferably at least seven days.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation unit comprises a plurality of stimulation elements distributed over an upper surface of the insole.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit is adapted to determine an activity of the person, and to control the emission of stimulation only if the person performs said activity.

The invention also relates to a system comprising an insole according to the invention and a stimulation unit separate from the insole.

The invention also relates to a stimulation method in which an insole is arranged in a shoe worn by a person, in particular during a walking period of the person, the method implementing the following steps :

a) acquire at least one measurement representative of the force and / or pressure exerted on the insole by the person,

b) acquire at least one measurement of a movement of the person's foot,

c) calculating a walking parameter and determining a walking moment as a function of the force and / or pressure measurement and of the movement measurement, and

d) emit a stimulation to stimulate the person when walking.

According to one embodiment, the determination of the moment of walking and the emission of the stimulation are carried out in real time.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation method further comprises the following steps:

e) reception of a new measurement of force and / or pressure and of a new measurement of the movement acquired after the stimulation of step d) has been emitted,

f) modification of at least one stimulation parameter, and

g) repeating the steps of the stimulation process.

[0029]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analysis of the appended drawings, in which: Fig.l [0031] [ fig.l] shows a front view of a pair of shoes, each shoe comprising an insole according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2A [fig.2A] shows a perspective view from above of an insole according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2B [fig.2B] shows a perspective view from below of an insole according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 [fig.3] shows an exploded view of the insole of [fig. 2A].

Fig. 4 [fig.4] shows a block diagram of an insole according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 [fig.5] shows a diagram of the stimulation process according to an embodiment of the invention.

Description of the embodiments The drawings and the description below essentially contain elements of a certain nature. They can therefore not only serve to better understand the present invention, but also contribute to its definition, if necessary.

Referring first to [fig.l], the invention has for its first object an insole 1 intended to be worn by a person.

The insole 1 is adapted to be inserted into a shoe C of the person.

The insole 1 of the shoe can also be permanently integrated into the shoe C, for example when making the shoe C, by being part of the sole assembly of the shoe C for example.

Shoe C can take many forms, such as a city shoe, a sports shoe or an orthopedic shoe, this list not being exhaustive.

In particular, [fig.l] illustrates a first inner sole of the shoe, for example intended to be inserted in a straight shoe CD, and a second inner sole 1b of shoe, intended for example to be inserted in a left shoe CG.

The first inner sole of the shoe can also be permanently integrated into the right shoe CD, and the second inner sole 1b of the shoe can be permanently integrated into the left CG, for example when making said shoe right CD and left shoe CG, being part of the sole of the shoes for example.

The first insole la and the second insole 1b are substantially similar, except for transverse symmetry, and a single insole 1 will therefore be described below, the characteristics of which are shared by the first insole la and second insole 1b.

In some embodiments, however, certain characteristics may be reversed between the first and second insoles la, 1b.

As illustrated more precisely in [fig.2A] and [Fig. 2B], the insole 1 is substantially planar and extends along a horizontal plane X, Y, perpendicular to a thickness direction Z.

By "substantially planar" is meant that the insole 1 extends substantially in a plane, having large dimensions along a longitudinal direction X and a transverse direction Y (the transverse direction Y being perpendicular in the longitudinal direction X), and a relatively smaller dimension along a thickness direction Z which is perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions.

The insole 1 has a length or bulk in the longitudinal direction X, greater than a width or bulk in the transverse direction Y.

The length of the insole 1 is for example at least twice its width.

The insole 1 finally has a thickness or bulk in the thickness direction Z, small in front of both its length and its width.

The thickness of the insole 1 is for example at least ten times smaller than its length.

The insole 1 can thus have for example a thickness of less than a centimeter, preferably less than 0.75 centimeters, for example about 0.5 centimeters.

It should be noted that the insole 1 can have structures, bumps and small curves and therefore depart from a perfect plane. However, the extension of these structures, these bumps and these curves is understood to be small compared to the extension of the insole 1 in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y.

The insole 1 extends between an upper surface 3 and a lower surface 4.

The upper surface 3 is for example adapted to be in contact with a foot of a person received in the shoe C.

By "the upper surface is in contact with a foot of a person" means that the foot of the person, if necessary surrounded by an appropriate undergarment such as a sock, is in intimate contact, without intermediary , with the upper surface 3 of the insole 1.

The lower surface 4 of the insole 1 is also adapted to be in contact with a sole assembly of the shoe C.

As illustrated in [fig.3], the insole 1 comprises a front portion 11 arranged so as to come into contact with a front part of the foot, a middle portion 12 arranged to come into contact with a central part of the foot, for example a arch, and a rear portion 13 arranged to come into contact with a rear part of the foot.

The front portion 11, the middle portion 12 and the rear portion 13 are connected together to form a single element which can be more or less flexible.

The front portion 11 may in particular extend over a width greater than a width of the middle portion 12 in the transverse direction Y.

As illustrated in [fig.3], the insole 1 is a multilayer element, for example laminated or comprising one or more layers embedded in a material chosen for example from polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) , thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic rubber or a silicone material.

The insole 1 comprises for example an upper layer 20 which in particular forms the upper surface 3, and a lower layer 21 which in particular forms the lower surface 4. The upper layer 20 and the lower layer 21 can be welded together, in particular on a periphery 22 of the insole 2.

Although six layers are illustrated in [fig.3], it is understood that the insole 1 may include a greater or lesser number of layers.

In addition, the insole 1 may include a housing 23. As illustrated [fig.3], the housing 23 forms the lower surface 4 with the lower layer 21.

The insole 1 comprises a force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, a movement measurement unit 50 and a processing unit 60.

The insole 1 can also advantageously include a stimulation unit 40. As a variant, the stimulation unit 40 can be separate from the insole 1, as discussed below.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in [fig.2A], the [Eig. 2B] and [Eig. 3], the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 and the stimulation unit 40 are located in the front portion 11 and in the rear portion 13 of the insole 1. The movement measurement unit 50 and the processing unit 60 are located in the middle portion 12 of the insole 1.

However, this embodiment is illustrative and non-limiting, the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, the stimulation unit 40, the movement measurement unit 50 and the treatment 60 which can be arranged differently in the insole 1.

Force and / or pressure measurement unit Referring to [fig.3], the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 of the insole 1 is now described in more detail.

The force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 comprises a plurality of sensors 34. The sensors 34 are located in the front portion 11, the middle portion 12 and / or the rear portion 13.

It is thus possible to measure a distribution of pressure, or even a quantitative value of the force or pressure exerted on the foot, at one or more regions of the sole of the person.

In one example, it is thus possible to know the position of the person's center of gravity. In addition, by measuring the force and / or pressure over time, it is possible to obtain dynamic information on the force exerted by the person on the insole 1.

The sensors 34 are suitable for measuring a pressure, a tensile force, a compression force and / or a shear force. The sensors 34 are advantageously capacitive, and in particular comprise an acquisition circuit (of the capacitance type; not illustrated) making it possible to acquire a capacity value. However, the sensors 34 can also be resistive or piezoelectric, or the like.

According to the illustrated embodiment where the sensors 34 are capacitive, the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 comprises a flexible upper layer 31 and a flexible lower layer 32. The upper layer 31 and the lower layer 32 both extend generally along the longitudinal and transverse directions

X, Y. The upper layer 31 and the lower layer 32 therefore face each other in the thickness direction Z.

The force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 further comprises a dielectric layer 33. The dielectric layer 33 is disposed between the upper layer 31 and the lower layer 32. The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously an insulating layer flexible as will be detailed below.

Referring more particularly to [fig.3], each sensor 34 comprises an upper electrode 35a on the upper layer 31 and a lower electrode 35b on the lower layer 32. The upper electrode 35a and the lower electrode 35b extend perpendicular to the thickness direction Z and face each other in the thickness direction Z respectively.

For example, the upper electrode 35a and the lower electrode 35b may be squares of approximately 5 mm on a side, or may be discs of a few millimeters in diameter.

The upper electrode 35a and the lower electrode 35b are separated from each other at least by the dielectric layer 33.

Upper conductors 36a are also provided on the upper layer 31. The upper conductors 36a are electrically connected to the upper electrodes 35a of the sensors 34. Likewise, lower conductors 36b are provided on the lower part 32. The lower conductors 36a are electrically connected to the lower electrodes 35b of the sensors 34.

In one embodiment of the invention, the upper conductors 36a and the lower conductors 36b can be arranged to connect the sensors 34 together. The sensors 34 are advantageously distributed over the surface of the insole 1 in a matrix manner.

By "in a matrix manner" is meant that the sensors 34 are connected together so that they can be used with a limited number of inputs / outputs. For example, if the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 comprises nine sensors 34, three input signals and three output signals are sufficient to be able to use the nine sensors 34. This results in a unit of particularly simple force and / or pressure measurement 30 to implement.

In another embodiment of the invention, the upper 36a and lower 36b conductors can be spatially multiplexed, that is to say arranged to connect each sensor 34 separately from each other.

In the absence of tensile, compression or lateral shear loads, the value of the capacitance C of a sensor 34 can be determined as a function of the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34, of the surface S of the upper electrode 35a and of the lower electrode 35b and of the dielectric constant ε of the material between the upper and lower electrodes 35a, 35b, in particular the dielectric layer 33, by the following equation:

[Math.l]

C = ε S / L The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously made of a dielectric material which is elastically deformable under tensile loads, compression loads and lateral shear. Under the effect of a compression, tensile or lateral shear load, the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34 is modified and the capacitance C of the sensor 34 varies.

The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously made of a dielectric material which is elastically deformable under tensile loads, compression loads and lateral shear. Under the effect of a compression, tensile or lateral shear load, the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34 is modified and the capacitance C of the sensor 34 thus varies.

The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously made of a dielectric material which is elastically deformable under tensile loads, compression loads and lateral shear. Under the effect of a compression, tensile or lateral shear load, the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34 is modified and the capacitance C of the sensor 34 thus varies.

The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously made of a dielectric material which is elastically deformable under tensile loads, compression loads and lateral shear. Under the effect of a compression, tensile or lateral shear load, the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34 is modified and the capacitance C of the sensor 34 thus varies.

The dielectric layer 33 is advantageously made of a dielectric material which is elastically deformable under tensile loads, compression loads and lateral shear. Under the effect of a compression, tensile or lateral shear load, the thickness L of the dielectric layer 33 at the location of the sensor 34 is modified and the capacitance C of the sensor 34 thus varies.

In addition, in order to increase the flexibility of the insole 1 while allowing proper operation of the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, the upper layer 31, the lower layer 32, and / or the dielectric layer 33 can comprise openings 37.

Such openings in a sole are for example described in patent application EP 3235428.

According to the embodiment of [fig.3], the openings 37 extend in a straight line in the transverse direction Y. However, the openings 37 may have other shapes or other orientations.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sensors 34 are adapted to carry out a pretreatment of the force and / or pressure measurements, for example at least one of the following pretreatments:

A frequency filtering, for example a frequency filtering in a range of time frequencies of interest, a conversion of measurement unit capable, for example, of converting into a basic unit of the international system, and / or a sampling of the measurements suitable, for example, for sampling the measurements with a sampling rate.

The processing unit 60 receives the measurements from the sensors 34, possibly pretreated as detailed above.

If the force and / or pressure measurements received are not pretreated, the processing unit 60 can in particular implement one and / or the other of the pretreatments detailed above.

Stimulation unit [0099] The stimulation unit 40 is adapted to emit a stimulation.

The stimulation can be emitted at the level of the person's leg or foot. The stimulation can in particular act on the sole of the person, more particularly on the arch, the heel or the metatarsal heads of the foot.

However, according to another embodiment, the stimulation can also be emitted at the level of another part of the body of the person, such as the anterior tibial nerve, the peroneal nerve, the median nerve of the arm, the spine , abdomen, neck, twin muscle, hand, ankle, shoulder, hamstring, quadriceps, lower back, or the end of an amputated limb.

The stimulation thus makes it possible to act on the muscular contraction, on the blood circulation or even the cerebral functioning of the person.

For this purpose, the stimulation unit can be separate from the insole 1. The stimulation unit is then placed against, or near, the part of the body to be stimulated.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the stimulation unit 40 is more particularly adapted to emit stimulation at the level of the sole of the person.

The insole 1 then advantageously comprises the stimulation unit.

For this purpose, as illustrated in [fig.2A], the stimulation unit 40 comprises a plurality of stimulation elements 41. The stimulation elements 41 are located in the front portion 11, the middle portion 12 and / or the rear portion 13. The stimulation elements 41 are advantageously distributed in a matrix fashion (this term must be understood as above).

The stimulation elements 41 are located on the upper surface 3 of the insole L The stimulation elements 41 are advantageously distributed over the surface of the insole L [0108] It is thus possible to stimulate one or more regions of the sole of the person selectively or simultaneously.

According to a first embodiment, the stimulation elements 41 are adapted to emit electrical stimulation.

In one embodiment, the stimulation elements 41 are adapted to emit stimulation of the transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation type (“Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation” (TENS).

The stimulation emitted can thus be emitted in the form of a signal, in particular electrical, defined by one or more parameters of the stimulation. These parameters can for example be chosen from the shape of the transmitted signal (for example sinusoidal, rectangular, triangular, or others), the amplitude and the frequency or frequencies of the wave. The signal can for example be a pulse.

In addition, a stimulation can also consist of a plurality of signals transmitted successively one after the other, for example in the form of a train of signals, in which case a parameter of the stimulation can also be the frequency of repetition of the signal during the same stimulation.

In the embodiment where the stimulation is electrical, the current emitted by the stimulation elements 41 may for example be of low amperage, for example of an intensity between 10 mA (milliamps) and 30 mA.

The stimulation elements 41 can emit pulses whose frequency is between 40 Hz (Hertz - pulsation per second) and 150 Hz.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation elements 41 are adapted to emit haptic or vibratory stimulation. The stimulation elements 41 can then be electromechanical devices comprising an electromagnet and a vibrating element.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation elements 41 are adapted to emit visual stimulation. The stimulation elements 41 can then be one or more light sources.

According to another embodiment, the stimulation elements 41 are adapted to emit sound stimulation. The stimulation elements 41 can then be one or more speakers.

Motion measurement unit [0118] The motion measurement unit 50 is adapted to acquire at least one measurement of a movement of the person, or even a plurality of measurements of movement.

The measurement of the movement is advantageously an angular, speed or acceleration measurement.

To this end, the movement measurement unit 50 comprises one or more accelerometers and / or one or more gyroscopes and / or one or more inclinometers (not shown) suitable for detecting linear, angular accelerations and inclinations, at the person's foot.

These elements of the movement measurement unit 50 can be arranged inside the housing 23 of the insole 1.

Processing unit [0122] The processing unit 60 of the insole 1 is now described in more detail.

The processing unit 60 may for example include on-board electronics or a processor (not shown) disposed inside the housing 23 of the insole 1.

The force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, the stimulation unit 40, the movement measurement unit 50 and the processing unit 60 are functionally connected to each other, in particular electrically. More particularly, the processing unit 60 is electrically connected to the sensors 34 and to the stimulation elements 41.

Thus, the processing unit 60 is adapted to control, and receive information from, the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 and the movement measurement unit 50, and is also adapted to command and control the emission of a stimulation by the stimulation unit 40.

In the embodiment where the insole 1 comprises the stimulation unit 40, the communication between the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, the stimulation unit 40, the measurement unit motion 50 and the processing unit 60 is particularly fast and high speed since they are all arranged in the insole 1, and therefore all relatively close to each other.

The processing unit 60 is adapted, in real time, to receive one or more measurements from the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30 and one or more measurements of the movement of the measurement unit from movement 50, calculating at least one, or even more, walking parameters and controlling the emission of a stimulation by the stimulation unit 40.

The walking parameter is used to characterize the movement of the person. Thus, the walking parameter can indicate whether it is necessary, and if so to what extent, to stimulate the person.

Walking is a cyclical movement in which easily recognizable events are repeated.

A step is thus defined each time a person's leg is propelled forward.

A walking cycle begins with the initial contact of one foot and ends with the next contact of the same foot, which itself constitutes the initial contact of the following walking cycle.

The walking cycle can thus be divided into a support phase, in which one foot is in contact with the ground, and an oscillation phase, in which the same foot, in the air, moves towards the front. The support phase includes double support phases, in which the person's two feet are in contact with the ground.

For a normal walking cycle, the support phase represents, on average, 60% of the cycle against 40% for the oscillation phase. These two phases are delimited by the appearance of the toe detachment (around 60%) and by the two contacts of one of the heels defining the beginning (0%) and the end of the walking cycle (100%).

The walking parameters include spatio-temporal parameters and angular parameters making it possible to characterize the movement of the person.

A spatial parameter can be chosen from the length of the stride, the stride length, the angle of the stride, the width of the stride (in distance or at an angle), the stride width or the height of the stride. It is also possible to determine the position of the center of gravity of the pressure for each foot of the person or its trajectory for example.

A time parameter can be chosen from the person's cadence (number of steps per minute), walking speed, double press time, single press time (duration of the support phase in which only one foot is in contact with the ground), the asymmetry of the parameters of a limb likely to be stimulated or of the other limb.

An angular parameter can be chosen from a relative joint movement between members of the person responsible for walking, such as the ankle. The joint movements can in particular vary in the sagittal, frontal or transverse plane of the person.

The walking parameters indicated above are not limiting and other parameters are possible or include a combination of the above spatiotemporal and angular parameters.

For example, if the force and / or pressure measuring unit 30 measures a high pressure exerted at the heel of the person's foot, and the movement measuring unit 50 measures a sudden deceleration, it can be considered that the person goes from an oscillation phase to a support phase by putting his foot on the ground and that we are at the start or end of the walking cycle. It can then be finally measured the person's step length for example.

From the calculation of the walking parameter, the emission of the stimulation by the stimulation unit 40 can thus be synchronized with a moment of walking.

By "synchronized with a moment of walking" is meant in particular that the stimulation emitted by the stimulation unit 40 is synchronized in time with a specific moment in the walking cycle. A moment of walking can for example be the moment when a person's foot comes into contact with the ground, or even the moment when the foot is in the oscillation phase.

It is thus possible to emit the stimulation at a time when it is likely to be the most effective and to have a satisfactory effect on the person.

By "real time" is meant an implementation of the stimulation operation such that the processing unit 60 can determine a moment of walking and control the emission of a stimulation synchronized with this moment of walking and depending on the stimulation parameters.

From the calculation of the walking parameter, the parameters of the stimulation by the stimulation unit 40 can also be modified.

It is thus possible to emit a suitable and sufficient stimulation, likely to be the most effective and to have a satisfactory effect on the person.

Stimulation Method It is known that changes in walking parameters such as speed, pitch, length and frequency of steps in a person are signs of impaired or impaired ability or walking quality.

These difficulties may appear due to a deficiency, paralysis, or an abnormal position of the foot.

Mobility disorders may in particular be muscle fatigue, spastictity, freezing ("freezing of gait" in English), foot drop ("foot drop" in English), loss of balance, asymmetry of walking, venous insufficiency, overactive bladder, pain related to the phantom limb ("phantom limb pain" in English).

Mobility disorders are often associated with certain more general pathologies or problems linked to the person, such as Parkinson's disease, the occurrence of a stroke, multiple sclerosis, the age of the subject, obesity, etc.

The processing unit 60 and the stimulation unit 40 are then adapted to implement an operation for stimulating the person, an operation which will now be described in more detail.

The implementation of the stimulation operation according to the invention may not be limited to walking by the person of the person but can also be carried out during other movements on foot, for people with prostheses on one of the lower limbs for example during a running race for example, or even during other types of activities which require a pressure effort at the level of the arch of the person (by bicycle for example).

To implement the stimulation operation, the processing unit 60 can, from the acquisition of force and / or pressure measurements, movement measurements, and the calculation of the walking parameter, determine the time of walking.

For example, the walking parameter may indicate that the person's foot comes into contact with the ground by exerting a higher pressure force on one side of the foot, to the detriment of the other side of the foot. foot. In addition, the walking setting can also indicate an unbalanced incline of the foot.

In another example, the walking parameter can indicate that the person's step is abnormally small.

The processing unit 60 is then adapted to control the stimulation unit 40 so that stimulation is emitted synchronously with the moment of walking.

Thus, stimulation can for example be emitted when the person's foot comes into contact with the ground, this in order to restore the person's balance and ensure that the latter exerts an equal pressure force of the two sides of the foot.

In another example, stimulation can be emitted in order to force the person to take a longer step.

To this end, the stimulation can be emitted by only certain stimulation elements 41 in order to stimulate certain regions of the foot only, for example the front portion 11, the middle portion 12 and / or the rear portion 13, or even a inner and / or outer side of the foot or a series of these zones depending on the course of the step.

The processing unit 60 is also adapted to control the stimulation unit 40 so that a stimulation is emitted with satisfactory simulation parameters.

After or in parallel with the emission of the stimulation, the processing unit 60 is adapted to acquire again the force and / or pressure measurements and the movement measurement (s).

The stimulation operation thus operates in a closed loop, as illustrated in [fig-5].

It can thus be evaluated if the stimulation had an effect on the person from the force and / or pressure measurements and the newly acquired movement measurements. In particular, it can be assessed if the person's ability to move has been satisfactorily changed by the delivery of stimulation.

According to the force and / or pressure measurements and the newly acquired movement measurements, the processing unit 60 can be adapted to modify the moment of walking or to adapt the stimulation parameters.

For example, if it appears that the stimulation had a beneficial effect, but that it is weak, it may be decided to increase the intensity of the stimulation in order to improve the effectiveness of the next stimuli to be issued.

In another example, if it appears that the stimulation was emitted in synchronization with a too late or badly selected moment of walking, it may be decided to advance the moment when the stimulation must be emitted, in particular during of the next walking cycle, in order to improve its efficiency.

The stimulation is then advantageously repeated several times while walking, in particular during a period of movement of the person on foot.

[0167] A stimulation operation is then emitted periodically, or almost periodically, during a period of movement of the person. A stimulation can for example be emitted at each step or each cycle of walking of a person during a given period.

Since the parameters of the stimulation and / or the choice of the moment of walking are likely to change as the stimulations are emitted, it is thus possible to implement a learning operation by reinforcement to refine the stimulation parameters, for example the amplitude, the shape of the stimulation signal, or others.

Thus, the processing unit 60 can be adapted to control stimulation as a function of the values of walking parameters, and / or of the values of force and / or pressure and movement measurements previously acquired, taking into account thus the whole history of measurements and values acquired during previous stimulations concerning the movement of the person.

To this end, the processing unit 60 can implement an artificial intelligence algorithm, for example a neural network.

This reinforcement learning operation is particularly indicated since the force and / or pressure measurements, or the movement measurements, are highly variable from one person to another. In addition, this allows to take into account the phenomenon of habituation to stimulations in the same person over time, in order to ensure that the stimulation operation continues to be effective over time and in different environments.

The parameters of the stimulation can thus be adjusted during the implementation of the stimulation operation, for example to adjust said parameters to the person.

As illustrated in [fig.4], the independent sole 1 can include a memory 70. The memory 70 is adapted to be mounted on the independent sole 1, for example in the housing 23. The memory 70 can be mounted permanently or can be a removable module, for example a memory card such as an SD card (acronym standing for "Secure Digital").

The memory 70 is notably functionally connected to the processing unit 60. The memory 70 can be controlled by the processing unit 60 so as to store the force and / or pressure measurements, the movement measurements , the parameters of stimulation and / or the moment of walking, over a period of several days, for example at least seven days so as to cover a week of a person for use in autonomy.

Furthermore, as illustrated in [fig.4], the autonomous sole 1 may also include a communication module 80 with an external server 100, illustrated in [Lig. 1]. The communication module 80 can be mounted on the autonomous sole 1 and controlled by the processing unit 60.

The processing unit 60 can in particular be adapted to control the communication module 80 for force and / or pressure measurements, movement measurements, stimulation parameters and / or the moment of walking stored. in the memory 70, to the external server 100. This transfer operation can in particular be implemented after a period of movement on foot of the person.

The communication module 80 can advantageously be a wireless communication module, for example a module implementing a protocol such as Bluetooth, Wi-Li, SIGLOX or LoRa technology.

In this way, when the person is in a period of walking, he is not bothered by cables, especially if it is necessary to carry out data transmissions during the period of walking.

Furthermore, as illustrated in [fig.4], the insole 1 may include at least one battery 90. The battery 90 may advantageously be flexible. The battery 90 can in particular be recharged by wireless induction.

The battery 90 stores electrical energy and can in particular be adapted to supply the force and / or pressure measurement unit 30, the stimulation unit 40 and the treatment unit 60, as well as, if necessary, the memory 70 and the communication module 80. The battery 90 is preferably adapted to supply energy over a period of several days without recharging.

In this way, the insole 1 can operate autonomously during a period of movement of the person on foot. Thus, the insole 1 is autonomous and adapted to implement one or more stimulation operations without communicating with the outside server 100, in particular without communicating with the outside server 100 over a period of several days, preferably at least seven days with for example detection of inactivity phases.

By "autonomous" is meant that the insole 1 can operate for an extended period, preferably several days, in particular at least seven days, without needing to be recharged with electrical energy, to communicate with external elements such as the external server 100 or even to be structurally connected to an external device.

In this way, the insole 1 is adapted to be used in the daily life of the person without imposing any particular constraints. In addition, the insole includes all the elements necessary to implement the stimulation operation as described above, and can therefore be easily implemented.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and provided only by way of example. It includes various modifications, alternative forms and other variants that a person skilled in the art may envisage within the framework of the present invention and in particular any combination of the different operating modes described above, which can be taken separately or in combination.

Claims (1)

Claims [Claim 1] Insole (1) adapted to be placed in a shoe (C) worn by a person, in particular during a walking period of the person, the insole (1) comprising: - a force and / or pressure measurement unit (30) adapted to acquire at least one measurement representative of the force and / or pressure exerted on the insole (1) by the person, - a movement measurement acquisition unit (50) adapted to acquire at least one measurement representative of a movement of the person's foot, and - a processing unit (60) adapted to receive the measurement of force and / or pressure and the measurement of movement, to calculate at least one walking parameter and to control the emission of a stimulation at a moment of walking depending on the value of the running parameter. [Claim 2] Insole (1) according to claim 1, in which the processing unit (60) is configured to determine in real time the moment of walking and to control in real time the emission of the stimulation. [Claim 3] Insole (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the processing unit (60) is configured to receive a new measurement of force and / or pressure and a new measurement of movement acquired after the stimulation has been issued, and to modify at least one stimulation parameter. [Claim 4] Insole (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the processing unit (60) is configured to receive a new measurement of force and / or pressure and a new measurement of movement acquired after the stimulation has been emitted, and to modify the moment of walking during which a subsequent stimulation is emitted. [Claim 5] Insole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the force and / or pressure measuring unit (30) comprises capacitive sensors (34), each sensor (34) comprising an upper electrode (35a ) and a lower electrode (35b), separated from each other by a dielectric layer (33). [Claim 6] Insole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the processing unit (60) is configured for implement an operation to learn the parameters of the stimulation emitted. [Claim 7] Insole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a communication module (80) with an external server (100), controlled by the processing unit (60), and suitable for transferring the force measurement and / or pressure and the measurement of the movement stored in the external server (100), in particular after a period of movement of the person on foot. [Claim 8] Insole (1) according to claim 7, in which the insole (1) is autonomous, the processing unit (60) being configured to control the emission of stimulation without communicating with an outside server (100), in particular without communicating with the external server (100) over a period of several hours, preferably several days, preferably at least seven days. [Claim 9] Insole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the processing unit (60) is configured to determine an activity of the person, and to control the emission of stimulation only if the person performs said activity. activity. [Claim 10] Insole (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a stimulation unit (40) adapted to be controlled by the processing unit (60) and to emit the stimulation to stimulate the person's foot. [Claim 11] The insole (1) according to claim 10, wherein the stimulation unit (40) is configured to deliver electrical stimulation. [Claim 12] The insole (1) according to claim 10, wherein the stimulation unit (40) is configured to emit haptic stimulation. [Claim 13] Insole (1) according to one of claims 10 to 12, in which the stimulation unit (40) comprises a plurality of stimulation elements (41) distributed over an upper surface (3) of the insole (1 ). [Claim 14] A system comprising an insole (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, and a stimulation unit (40) separate from the insole (1). [Claim 15] The system of claim 14, wherein the stimulation unit (40) is configured to deliver electrical stimulation. [Claim 16] The system of claim 14, wherein the stimulation unit (40) is configured to emit haptic stimulation. [Claim 17] System according to one of Claims 14 to 16, in which the unit of stimulation (40) includes a plurality of stimulation elements.