| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus for measuring the temperature distribution over the sole of the foot, the apparatus comprising:
a flexible substrate formed at least in part from a substrate material configured to be bendable without breaking when receiving the sole of a human foot, the substrate defining a plurality of discontinuities forming a plurality of substrate segments, each substrate segment comprising a sensor region having a surface for coupling a sensor and at least one connector to connect to at least one sensor region of an adjacent substrate segment, each of a plurality of the sensor regions being configured to be movable relative to other sensor regions when subjected to a mechanical force applied to its surface, the discontinuities causing the flexible substrate to exhibit elastic properties in the aggregate so that it can recover its size and shape after deformation along one or more of the discontinuities; a plurality of resistive temperature sensors coupled with the flexible substrate, the plurality of resistive temperature sensors being contact sensors for measuring the temperature of a human foot in thermal contact with it, a plurality of the sensor regions of the substrate segments each coupled with at least one of the plurality of temperature sensors; and a matrix of circuit conductors extending across the flexible substrate to electrically interconnect the plurality of resistive contact temperature sensors, a plurality of the connectors each physically bridging a portion of the matrix of conductors between sensor regions of adjacent substrate segments to electrically connect adjacent temperature sensors, at least some of the substrate segments and matrix of circuit conductors being configured to permit relative substrate segment movement without mechanically breaking the portion of the matrix of circuit conductors on the connector between substrate segments moving relatively to each other. |
