Piezoelectric Energy Generated by foot strike and biomechanical parameters associated with foot health: a pilot study with ergonomic validation

Ulloa Rubio B.; Celis Velásquez N.S.; Corales Aguilar E.E.; Abanto Zavaleta A.A.; Accha Toledo H.D.; Llanos Huaman G.E.; Araujo Huamanchay J.L. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.1941

Resumen

The objective evaluation of foot function and the development of sustainable technologies are significant challenges in current biomedical engineering. In this context, piezoelectricity allows the transformation of mechanical energy generated during human gait into electrical energy, simultaneously integrating biomechanical analysis and micro-energy generation into a single system. This research was conducted to study the relationship between biomechanical measurements of the footprint and the voltage obtained from the piezoelectric system, and to validate the ergonomics of the piezoelectric tiles. The research was implemented as a pilot prototype with 100 university students, recording the time it took to place the foot on the tile and the voltage generated. The results were then obtained, yielding a correlation of r = 0.82 with a p-value < 0.001, indicating a strong correlation and high significance in the biomechanical system's response to the electrical response. The instrument test also determined a reliability of ICC = 0.88 and a CV of 10%, demonstrating an adequate response with no variations during operation. In conclusion, piezoelectric tiles constitute a timely, innovative, viable, accessible, and sustainable alternative for functional foot assessment, as well as low-power energy generation, with the potential for future integration into intelligent systems. It is recommended to expand the study to include longitudinal scenarios and diverse populations to solidify its large-scale applicability.

Instituciones: Universidad César Vallejo