TechNOW: Clever soles helping diabetics make safe strides

Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering

High blood sugar can injure nerves and blood vessels throughout the body. And the first nerves to be affected tend to be the smallest ones, furthest away from the spinal cord – those that stretch to the toes and feet. That nerve damage is called diabetic neuropathy and it can cause a tingling in the toes or a constant burning feeling in the feet. It can be sneaky too and completely rob the feet of their ability to sense pain. But Dr Anna Hatton has come up with a way of making shoes high tech to help a diabetic better negotiate the road ahead. TechNOW is a podcast about Australian innovations that are shaping the future, thanks to the Global Connections Fund.