A project to 3D-print low-cost, personalised, pressure-offloading insoles for people with diabetes-related foot disease in remote areas has received a $810,000 Medical Research Future Fund Primary Health Care Digital Innovations Grant.
Professor Mia Woodruff, from the QUT Centre for Biomedical Technologies, said people living in regional and remote areas had reduced access to podiatry services and less chance of diabetes-related foot ulcers healing which, in turn, contributed to a higher risk of developing amputation.
(Pictured from back left: Associate Professor Peter Lazzarini, Professor Mia Woodruff, Dr Sean Powell, Dr Edmund Pickering, Associate Professor David Holmes, Alex Terrill)
"Our research team will develop and evaluate low-cost foot scanning technologies, developed in partnership with Aptium3D within an established digital framework," Professor Woodruff said.
"These technologies will be integrated in the allied healthcare organisation, Healthia's, diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU) monitoring, diagnosis and treatment pipeline for use in regional communities.
"Our innovative 3D dynamic foot scanner will be used by expert podiatrists as a telehealth device for remote monitoring and diagnosis.
"It will be coupled with advanced, flexible, metamaterial 3D-printing technologies to create personalised insoles to help protect the feet from injury and ulceration."
The project research team for the project, 3D digital solutions for diabetes-related foot ulcer offload treatment, comprises: Professor Woodruff, Associate Professor Peter Lazzarini, Dr Sean Powell, Associate Professor David Holmes, Alexander Terrill, Dr Edmund Pickering (QUT); Professor Jonathan Golledge (James Cook University); Dr Kerrie Evans (University of Sydney). Associate investigators are Dean Hartley, Chief technology officer, Healthia Ltd; Scott Morrison General manager iOrthotics, Greater Brisbane and industry partner Aptium3D.
