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PointeSense
- Program: Biomedical Engineering
- Course: EN.580.571 Honors Instrumentation
- Year: 2025
Project Description:
Dancers face high foot, ankle, and knee injury rates due to improper form during pointe work and jumping movements from en pointe positions. Our device combines pressure mapping, haptic feedback motors, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to provide dancers with live feedback on their pointe work, preventing injuries before they occur. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) with force sensors and a rigid PCB with microcontroller and IMU work together to correct dancers. The motors will vibrate to guide the dancer on how they should adjust to achieve proper form, alongside an LED for visual feedback. The sensors are housed in a 3D printed sleeve with connections to the rigid PCB worn on a band around the ankle, making it easy to integrate into a dancer’s existing routine. Ten dancers of varying skill levels will be tested to evaluate the device’s performance. We anticipate this innovation improving dancer safety by offering an accessible and affordable tool for injury prevention.
Project Photo:
These are the separate components for PointeSense. The rightmost image is the ankle band responsible for haptic feedback. The middle image is the flex and rigid PCB responsible for reading and analyzing pressure. The leftmost image is the shoe where it will fit.