I’m thrilled to see Emily Ortman’s PhRMA Foundation blog spotlight our team’s work at USC—funded by a $500K PhRMA Foundation grant—on a smart offloading boot paired with a smartwatch-based digital monitoring platform to improve wound healing for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).
➡️ Why this matters:
The smart boot reduces pressure on foot wounds while embedded sensors capture real-time offloading adherence, weight-bearing activity, and walking cadence. The smartwatch delivers push notifications and remote feedback, empowering patients and clinicians with actionable data.
Co-investigator Bijan Najafi, PhD, explains how the system helps “untangle tons of streaming data” to personalize healing strategies.
đź’ˇ Health equity at the core:
We’re enrolling 20% Black, 50% Hispanic, and 10% Native American patients, intentionally addressing disparities in DFU outcomes. The platform is also being adapted into Spanish and Mandarin to improve access and comprehension.
Early results are promising: real-time feedback and smart nudges have boosted offloading adherence, speeding wound healing.
🌟 A standout feature:
An AI chatbot is now offering personalized education—like whether it’s safe to wear the boot while driving. Clinician access to the chat is coming soon.
What’s Next?
- Expanded enrollment and a randomized controlled trial focused on wound healing and limb preservation
- Engagement with the FDA to explore regulatory pathways
- Further AI optimization for adherence, comfort, and behavior change
As PhRMA Foundation President Amy M. Miller, PhD, notes, this project doesn’t just improve diabetic wound care—it addresses digital health tool validation and health equity head-on.
🔗 Read the full article: “A Smart Boot and Digital Monitoring Platform to Improve Wound Healing for Diabetic Foot Ulcer”
Leave a Reply