Portable Slip-Testing Device for Measuring Shoe-Floor Coefficient of Friction

Project SummarySlip and fall accidents are a major and growing source of occupational injuriesIncreasing the available coefficient of frictionACOFbetween the shoe and floor surface is an effective method for reducing slipping riskA significant need exists for portablecost effective shoe floor ACOF testing equipment that is valid for predicting slip riskFilling this need is likely to increase the use of rigorous slip testing in the fieldcustomizing footwear programs to a specific workplaceand selecting the most effective footwear or flooring interventionThe overall objective of this SBIR Phase IIRresearch study is to develop a portable ACOF testing device that predicts whether a person is likely to slip with sensitivity and specificityThe feasibility of this approach is supported by preliminary development of a biofidelic slip testing deviceThe potential for our approach to improve the validity of slip testing is supported by preliminary data that found that current testing methods do not reflect the kinematics of slipping and that the under shoe testing condition are critical to the tester s ability to predict slipsThe proposed research will be accomplished with four aimsAimIdentify a set of testing conditionsforcesliding speed and shoe floor angle profilesthat best predict slip eventsAimDevelop a slip tester that is portableinexpensive and biofidelicAimQuantify reproducibility and repeatability of the device using an interlaboratory studyand AimValidate the ability of the portable testing device to predict slipping eventsAimwill use previously collected human slipping data and the biofidelic slip tester to identify testing kinematics and kinetics that best predict slipsAimwill create a portable device that uses kinematic linkage systems to achieve the testing conditions identified in Aimusing stepper motors and calculates ACOF based on forces measured with a load cellAimwill also include a hypothesisHthat the developed device will yield ACOF values that are well correlated with the biofidelic slip testing device developed in PhaseAimwill perform a multiple site interlaboratory study to quantify repeatability of the device and reproducibility across operators and devicesAimwill include a hypothesisHthat differences in ACOF values will not be observed across operators and devicesAimwill quantify the validity of the device for prospectively predicting human slip propensity based on ACOF data collected with the deviceAimincludes a hypothesisHthat the device will predict slipping riskThis proposed research is expected to lead to a state of the art device that will promote interventions that reduce accidental injuries due to slippingCommercializing this innovation will position Crossroads ConsultingLLC to reach new markets for both laboratory and field slip testingtargeting safety and occupational health consultantssmaller shoe and flooring manufacturesas well as the research communityAs a resultCrossroads ConsultingLLC is anticipated to grow in size and revenues through product sales and service agreements !