Case Study: Laboratory of Biomechanics and Application achieves real-time orthopedic insole optimization with Hexagon ODYSSEE CAE

Real-time design of 3D-printed orthopedic insoles

The Laboratory of Biomechanics and Application (LBA), a biomechanics research lab, was using a complex digital foot model to optimize custom 3D-printed orthopedic insoles, but its comprehensive simulations were too slow for clinical use. Their challenge was that running the model took up to four hours, preventing real-time feedback for podiatrists during patient consultations. To solve this, LBA turned to Hexagon and its product, ODYSSEE CAE.

Hexagon's solution used the existing model to create a reduced order model that provides results in under a second. This allowed podiatrists to instantly see the effects of different insole designs and materials on a patient's specific gait, enabling real-time optimization for maximum comfort and effect. The result was a dramatic reduction in processing time from four hours to less than a second, which has been successfully implemented in partnering clinics.

Laboratory of Biomechanics and Application

Michel Behr

Researcher