About the Project

Inspiration

Our journey with Achilles began with deeply personal experiences that opened our eyes to a silent epidemic affecting millions worldwide. My diabetic grandfather developed an infected ulcer that ultimately led to amputation—a devastating outcome that could have been prevented with early detection. Similarly, Ajinkya's grandaunt suffered multiple falls that resulted in serious injuries and mobility complications.

As we delved deeper into these seemingly different health challenges, we discovered a common thread: peripheral neuropathy, which causes loss of sensation in the feet. This condition affects both diabetic patients and the elderly, creating a perfect storm of undetected risks that lead to catastrophic outcomes.

The statistics we uncovered were staggering. Globally, there are approximately 600 million diabetic patients, with 270 million suffering from some form of diabetic neuropathy. Of these, 40 million will face amputation during their lifetime. In Singapore alone, neuropathy affects 275,000 diabetics, and we witness 1,500 amputations annually—making us the country with the second-highest amputation rate among developed nations.

For the elderly, the picture is equally concerning. Falls account for 800,000 deaths globally each year, with 80% occurring in those aged 65 and above. In Singapore, one-third of people aged 65 and above have suffered at least one fall, with 40% of these falls contributing to injury-related deaths.

What struck us most was discovering that 40% of diabetics haven't been screened in two years, increasing their amputation risk six-fold. This gap in preventive care became our call to action.

What it does

Achilles simultaneously measures:

• Pressure sensitivity using pneumatic microhaptics—tiny air bubbles that press into the skin, precisely mimicking the clinical 10-gram monofilament test
• Vibration threshold (WIP!) through algorithm-driven stimulation using voice coil actuators, the same technology used in professional biothesiometers
• Thermal profile (WIP!) mapping to reveal areas of reduced blood circulation, predicting where ulcers are most likely to form

Our platform goes beyond just measurement—it aims to stratify patients into risk categories to enable targeted care (we learnt this from clinicians):

• Category 0: Good pressure sensitivity (low risk)
• Category 1: Impaired pressure but retained vibration sensitivity (6-monthly screening recommended)
  
• Category 2: Irregular thermal mapping detected (more frequent monitoring needed)
• Category 3: History of ulcers (requires intensive screening protocols)

The system automatically generates reports that can be exported to PDF or integrated directly into Electronic Medical Records (EMR) with a single click, enabling seamless patient tracking and progress monitoring.

How we built it

Achilles consists of two main components: a hardware device and an intuitive desktop application.

Hardware Development: We engineered a compact device that integrates three distinct sensing modalities. The pressure sensitivity measurement uses pneumatic microhaptics—a novel approach where precisely controlled air pressure creates tactile stimulation equivalent to the gold-standard monofilament test. This came from our Phd research at NUS. We've built a similar device for the hand for a hospital trial prior to the hackathon, so we know the strengths of the tech. (This is the only overlapping part from our previous work)

For vibration assessment, we will implement voice coil actuators controlled by an algorithm that deliver standardized vibratory stimuli across multiple frequencies. The thermal mapping component will use an array of high-precision thermistors to create detailed heat maps of foot circulation patterns.

Completely coincidentally, both these set of components might be supplied by a Japanese MNC electronics manufacturer, who we just signed an NDA with last week! They are looking for almost exactly the solution we are building and are happy to provide an additional letter of intent.

Software Architecture: Our application serves as the central hub for device control, data collection, and analysis. . The app includes features for patient management (like an EMR), historical data tracking, automated report generation, and export capabilities.

Challenges we ran into

Technical Challenges: One of our biggest hurdles was achieving the precision required for medical-grade measurements while maintaining device portability. Calibrating the pneumatic system to deliver consistent 10-gram equivalent pressure across different foot anatomies requires extensive testing. This will need a feasibility study with 20 subjects to validate.

Integrating three different sensing modalities into a single device presented significant engineering challenges. Each sensor type operates on different principles and timescales, requiring careful synchronization and signal processing to avoid interference. Also, its quite tough to embed them in a thin layer- work in progress!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One word- our validation.

WE GOT AN MNC INTEREST! We didn't expect this before the start of the project. It gives us validation that we are solving an important unmet need, in addition to the feedback we got from hospitals. We've talked to SGH (prior to the hackathon) and aware they have this use case.

We also saw the same use case when we were in Vietnam last week.

We're quite happy with the understanding we have of the problem and potentially the payor model that might work in Singapore.

What's Next

Thermal Map and Vibration Mode integration- waiting on some components

IRB and Human Subject Testing

Device Classification -> Sell (hopefully!)

Built With

• autodesk-fusion-360
• claude-sonnet-4.0
• dart
• figma
• flutter
• github
• vscode