The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. Marine Corps have developed a boot insert prototype designed to collect information on user mobility and agility changes in an effort to help USMC plan the material composition and format of Marines’ protective gear.The Marine Corps Systems Command said Wednesday its Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad collaborated with MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory to create the Mobility and Biomechanics Insert for Load Evaluation prototype which works to help boost user health and performance.
MoBILE uses scale-like load sensors placed within boot insoles to measure users’ weight during various activities such as standing, running and walking to capture data that will be transmitted to a master microcontroller for processing.
MERS Director Mark Richter said the tool will work to help the service branch obtain data about the readiness and performance of Marines.
James Balcius, a MERS naval aerospace operational physiologist, noted the MoBILE platform is designed to also gauge how carrying the weight of equipment can affect a user’s normal gait.
