Sensors embedded in footwear track gait and location data

Abnormal movement or falls trigger alerts to caregivers

Busan Technopark signs an MOU with the Busan Association of Parents with Disabled Children and other partners Thursday for a smart shoe-based support service for socially vulnerable groups. [Busan Technopark]
Busan Technopark signs an MOU with the Busan Association of Parents with Disabled Children and other partners Thursday for a smart shoe-based support service for socially vulnerable groups. [Busan Technopark]

Busan Technopark has signed an MOU with the Busan Association of Parents with Disabled Children and Infecvision Co. to promote the pilot rollout of an IoT-based smart shoe service for socially vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities.

The agreement was signed Thursday at the Korea Shoe Center in Busanjin-gu. The three organizations plan to expand the IoT-based smart shoe service — currently being piloted as part of the Ministry of Science and ICT's Smart Village Dissemination and Expansion project — to people with disabilities and their families, and to build an inter-agency cooperation framework for service operation and verification.

The smart shoe service uses sensors attached to footwear to monitor a user's gait and movement. If an unusual walking pattern is detected or a fall occurs, the system sends an alert to the user's caregiver. When a user wanders outside a zone set by the caregiver, the service provides location information to help track them.

Busan city and Busan Technopark are currently operating the smart shoe service for 500 socially vulnerable residents in Busan, supporting health management and safe daily living for the elderly and others. Free gait-analysis experience zones have also been set up at Busan Children's Grand Park and on the second floor of KT&G Sangsangmadang (Padopool) so that any resident can try the service at no cost.

Under the agreement, Busan Technopark will oversee overall project operations and technical support, while Infecvision will handle smart shoe service operation and maintenance. The Busan Association of Parents with Disabled Children will identify potential service users, handle outreach and promotion, gather feedback from the field, and work to make the service more accessible to families of people with disabilities.

"We will work to create an environment where people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups can live more safely," a Busan Technopark official said. "We aim to contribute to improving residents' quality of life and advancing local industry through a range of social services built on smart shoe technology."


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com