Diabetes Design Contest

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SUGAR FREE – Footwear f or diabetic people. Diabetes mellitus is one of the main public health problems in the world. It’s also one of the diseases that impacts the patient in a directly or indirectly way because of its relation to other diseases. This causes the decrease of the patient’s life quality and even death. One of the complications that a diabetic person develops is the series of vascular alterations (problems in arteries and veins) that affect every organ in the body. This kind of alteration, when presented in the foot zone, is known as “diabetic foot”. Its main characteristics (among others) are the loss of sensibility, an increase in the time the foot takes to recover from wounds, and it may even result in the partial or total amputation of the foot (every 30 seconds a person loses a part of the foot because of diabetes, making this disease the first cause of non-traumatic foot amputation worldwide). Even though nowadays diabetes is still not curable, a person with diabetes can have an optimal life quality and can prevent or decrease the risk of complications associated with diabetes, provided they modify their lifestyle (exercising and developing better eating habits) and having a regular glucose level monitoring. “SUGAR FREE” seeks the integration of some of the basic needs for taking care of the “diabetic foot”. First, it proposes the use of a non-invasive technology available and approved by the FDA (Federal Drugs Administration, U.S.A.) that measures the glucose levels through sweat, avoiding the uncomfortable – yet necessary – puncture needed for glucose-through-blood monitoring). The new technology within “SUGAR FREE” makes an estimate of glucose levels in the sweat and warns the user of any important alteration of the normal glucose levels through a color-system. It shows 3 different levels with 3 colors: red (more than 120mg/dl), green (between 120 and 60mg/dl) and blue (less than 60mg/dl). These results, among others like the daily exercise level, are frequently monitored and stored in a small memory space located within the outer sole. This data can be later transferred to any

computer for its analysis as graphics of the information received throughout the day, indicating the patient the need of a better care. It can also help as a registration for the doctor in charge of the patient in order to give a more objective evaluation that allows a better control of the disease. The ergonomic factors of the tennis shoe are optimal, having the same necessary characteristics used for specialized diabetic footwear like higher heels, wider and seamless vamp and an insole that allows perspiration. “SUGAR FREE” main material is a translucent plastic that allows humidity to escape the shoe and avoid its entrance, seamless vamps and, at the same time, capable of indicating the users’ foot health through colors. In conclusion, “SUGAR FREE” gives a reading of the foot health state, preventing and showing statistic data of the foot, avoiding future complications. This can lead to a better life quality, self-esteem, disease control and the prevention of foot amputation.

Design by Alberto Cruz Hervert UNAM Industrial Design student