Title: Early detection of foot complications using a thermal profiler of plantar surface

Authors: M.M. Manohara Pai; Kushagra Jain; K.N. Manjunath; Sucheta V. Kolekar; Radhika M. Pai

Addresses: Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India ' Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India ' Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India ' Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India ' Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India

Abstract: Foot complications in diabetic patients have become fatal, hence early detection is essential. Technique is being used by diabetologist at present is measurement of temperature variations in the plantar surface of the foot using thermogram images. This paper describes a novel approach called 'Thermal Profiler System' which profiles the temperature variations in the plantar surface. It consists of a device with 23 sensors, senses the temperature values of the plantar surface. It also consists of a mobile application to capture the temperature data, computes the variations in the temperature values and reports abnormalities to the diabetologist. An experimental study is conducted to validate the values recorded by the device. This study includes temperature data of subjects captured using a Thermal Profiler device is compared with the temperature data obtained from thermogram images. The statistical analysis shows there is no significant difference between the thermal profiler values and the thermogram images.

Keywords: plantar surface; thermal profiler; tibial arteries; angiosomes; thermogram images; foot complications; thermogram; mobile app; plantar regions; temperature sensors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSNET.2020.106879

International Journal of Sensor Networks, 2020 Vol.33 No.1, pp.16 - 24

Received: 20 Nov 2019
Accepted: 22 Nov 2019
Published online: 24 Apr 2020 *

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