Validating the ability of a portable shoe-floor friction testing device, NextSTEPS, to predict human slips

Kurt E Beschorner; Arnab Chanda; Brian E Moyer; Alexander Reasinger; Sarah C Griffin; Isaiah M Johnston

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103854

Validating the ability of a portable shoe-floor friction testing device, NextSTEPS, to predict human slips

Appl Ergon. 2023 Jan:106:103854. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103854. Epub 2022 Aug 13.

Authors

Kurt E Beschorner¹, Arnab Chanda², Brian E Moyer³, Alexander Reasinger⁴, Sarah C Griffin⁵, Isaiah M Johnston⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara St. #302, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. Electronic address: beschorn@pitt.edu.
² Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India; Department of Biomedical Engineering, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India. Electronic address: arnab.chanda@cbme.iitd.ac.in.
³ XRDS Systems, 1334 Luzerne St Ext, Johnstown, PA, 15905, USA. Electronic address: brian@ccxrds.com.
⁴ XRDS Systems, 1334 Luzerne St Ext, Johnstown, PA, 15905, USA. Electronic address: alexreasinger@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara St. #302, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. Electronic address: scg57@pitt.edu.
⁶ Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara St. #302, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. Electronic address: imj10@pitt.edu.

PMID: 35973317
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103854

Abstract

Measuring shoe-floor friction is critical for assessing the safety of footwear products. Portable devices for measuring coefficient of friction (COF) are needed. This study introduces such a device and evaluates its ability to predict human slip events across shoe designs. A portable device (18 kg) was utilized to measure 66 unique shoe-floor-fluid coefficients of friction (COF). Consistent with the shoes, flooring, and fluid contaminants from the COF tests, participants (n = 66) were unexpectedly exposed to the fluid while walking. Slip predictions were made based on a separate training data set. Slip predictions were made prospectively and using logistic regression analyses. The slip predictions were valid (p < 0.001), 91% sensitive, and 64% specific. The logistic regression fit also revealed that the COF values predicted slip outcomes (p = 0.006). This device is expected to expand the capacity of researchers, product developers, forensic engineers, and safety professionals to prevent slips and enhance human safety.

Keywords: And falls; Coefficient of friction; Footwear; Slips; Trips; Validation studies.

MeSH terms

Floors and Floorcoverings*
Friction
Humans
Shoes*
Walking