Telangana Class 7 student wins acclaim for diabetic care footwear in Khammam

A Class 7 student from a government school in Khammam has developed smart footwear that uses vibration alerts to improve blood circulation and prevent diabetic foot ulcers, earning recognition at a district-level science fair

Khammam: A 7th-grade student from Government Upper Primary School (UPS) at Pedda thanda in Singareni mandal in the district has come up with footwear that helps diabetic patients to keep the soles of their feet healthy.

The student Md. Zakiya Sultana, despite having speech and hearing impairments designed smart footwear that sends alerts through vibrations to patients who have lost sensation in their feet. Further low-level vibrations stimulate the nerves in the feet improving blood circulation.

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According to the student in people with diabetes, reduced sensation in the feet could cause minor injuries to develop into large ulcers (Diabetic foot ulcer), ultimately leading to amputation. The smart footwear would address the problem.

Explaining how her innovation works, Zakiya Sultana told Telangana Today that when the patient stands in one place for a long time pressure increases on the foot, sensors fitted in the footwear vibrates the motors, which alerts the person wearing the footwear.

The battery operated motors vibrate through the sensor every half an hour, ensuring that the feet receive tactile sensation and blood circulation is maintained. For people with numbness in their feet, these vibrations help them feel how their foot is landing on the ground while walking.

Zakiya Sultana presented her project ‘Sole Care: Smart Footwear for Diabetic Patients’ in the health and hygiene category at the recent district level science fair and won a prize besides receiving accolades from district Collector Anudeep Durishetty and others.

The headmaster of the UPS Pedda thanda, Shaik Rajalipasha, Rural Innovator Award winner, informed that among all the students who took part in the science fair, Zakiya Sultana was the only student with hearing and speech impairment.