The National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) research team, led by Prof. A. Thirugnanam, Professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, has developed an indigenous force plate to measure multi-axial ground reaction forces (GRF). The device is intended to help diagnose abnormal gait patterns and can be used in sports academies, educational institutes, hospitals, and rehabilitation centres in India. It is designed to be more affordable than existing foreign alternatives.
The force plate was developed by research scholars Tharani Kumaran and Monisha Gowri Srinivasan under Prof. Thirugnanam’s supervision. A patent has been filed, and a research article has been published in the Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology.
The research team used the indigenously developed force plate alongside a motion capture system to evaluate heel pad stiffness using a non-invasive technique. By studying how the heel pad, which serves as the natural cushion of the foot, behaves in individuals with different body weights, the team aims to inform the development of better footwear and treatment strategies to reduce heel pain.
Heel pain is a common foot ailment among adults, often linked to overloading of the plantar fascia. In many cases, changes in the heel pad—a fatty tissue under the heel—also contribute to discomfort. The heel pad acts as a shock absorber during standing, walking, or running. Excessive stress can reduce its cushioning ability, causing pain. Factors such as ageing, injury, obesity, diabetes, and ill-fitting shoes can also contribute to heel pad deterioration.
Understanding how the heel pad responds to pressure is essential. Traditional methods, including medical imaging or load-based tests, do not capture dynamic behaviour during movements like walking. To address this limitation, the NIT Rourkela team used the indigenously developed force plate for gait profiling and GRF measurement. Combining 3D motion capture with force plate technology, researchers studied heel pad behaviour during plantar flexion, the phase of walking when the heel lifts off the ground.
Fifteen volunteers were divided into three groups—normal weight, overweight, and obese. Retroreflective markers were placed on the heel pad area, and their movements were recorded and analysed.
The analysis revealed that heel pad stiffness increases with body weight. Obese participants had significantly stiffer heel pads than normal-weight and overweight participants, reducing flexibility and shock absorption. The researchers suggest this may contribute to a higher risk of heel pain and related foot problems in obese individuals.
Prof. A. Thirugnanam said, “Most neuromuscular disorders will affect the gait pattern of an individual. Since gait requires precise coordination of muscle strength and balance, disturbances in any of these can alter the walking pattern and the corresponding GRF. Some common neuromuscular diseases like myopathies, peripheral neuropathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, spasticity, ataxia, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, etc., can alter the GRF. These abnormalities in GRF can be diagnosed using the force plate. The device can also be used in designing orthotics, prosthetics, and insole design in the shoe manufacturing industry. The indigenous force plate designed and developed by our team can be supplied at a reasonable cost, making it affordable to all sports academies, healthcare sectors, and academic institutes across India.”
Force plates are recognised globally as essential diagnostic tools for analysing human musculoskeletal health. Due to high costs and the absence of Indian manufacturers, availability in India is limited. The NIT Rourkela device can be supplied at one-fourth the price of international systems.
Prof. Thirugnanam added, “Imported force plates usually cost between ₹30–50 lakhs, making them prohibitively expensive for many institutions. In contrast, our indigenously developed force plate can be available at just ₹8 to10 lakhs, offering a cost reduction of nearly 70–85 per cent. This significant price advantage makes cutting-edge biomechanics technology far more accessible. By lowering the financial barrier, our solution enables wider adoption across research, clinical, and sports science applications, ensuring greater value for money and broader impact.”
The project received funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Biomedical Device and Technology Development (BDTD) scheme. Industrial partner M/s N K Instruments, Kolkata, particularly Kirti Nayak and his team, contributed to the fabrication.
The innovation is being commercialised through the startup M/s KineUtkal Private Limited, incubated at FTBI, NIT Rourkela. The startup is also supported by the Rourkela Steel Plant SAIL CSR Grant, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), and MeitY Tide 2.0 (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) for developing other products.