A digital podiatry clinic aimed at early detection and prevention of diabetic foot complications was inaugurated at the IISc Health Center in Bengaluru on Tuesday. | Photo credit:
A digital podiatry clinic aimed at early detection and prevention of diabetic foot complications was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here on Tuesday.
Founded by artificial intelligence healthcare technology firm StrideAide, the Digital Podiatric Clinic (D-PoC) seeks to empower technology-enabled preventative foot care for people with diabetes and those at high risk of developing the disease.
The clinic integrates multiple diagnostic devices to assess key parameters such as plantar pressure, neuropathy and vascular insufficiency. Data is consolidated through StrideAide’s proprietary software platform, which uses artificial intelligence-driven algorithms for risk stratification and automated clinical reporting. The aim is to identify risks early and prevent foot ulcers, infections and amputations through standardized screening and structured digital workflows.
Each D-PoC unit can examine 30 to 40 patients per day and has the potential to assess more than 10,000 people with diabetes annually at the district hospital level, enabling scalable deployment across secondary and tertiary care facilities.
Preventive care
“The digital podiatry clinic represents a shift from reactive to preventative care in the treatment of the diabetic foot,” said Pavan Belehalli, founder and CEO of StrideAide.
Dr. Belehalli, who is also an associate professor and head of the department of podiatry at the Karnataka State Institute of Endocrinology and Research (KIER), said the model combines clinical insight with smart engineering and AI-driven analytics to enable early identification of risks at the point of care.
He added that working with IISc would help ensure clinical robustness while keeping the solution scalable and affordable for the public health system.
Plug-and-play model
D-PoC follows a plug-and-play deployment model that enables rapid adoption in various healthcare settings. Plans are also underway to integrate StrideGPT, an AI-driven question-and-answer support system for clinicians and patients, to enhance preventive care and reduce the socioeconomic burden of diabetic foot complications.
Sanjay Sharma, co-founder of StrideAide, said diabetic foot problems remain among the most under-appreciated contributors to disability and healthcare costs. Reliable screening tools and structured data could enable early intervention and significantly reduce avoidable amputations, he said.
IISc is a key research and innovation partner in the development of the clinic, contributing its expertise in intelligent engineering, predictive analytics and clinical validation through its faculty and the BeST Cluster ecosystem.
GK Ananthasuresh, Shriram Group RT Professor of Mechanical Engineering at IISc and advisor to the initiative, said the clinic will generate valuable data to create digital twin models of an individual’s foot using principles of mechanics and artificial intelligence. This could support the predictive analysis and design of customized dynamic unloading footwear for the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
The inauguration was attended by IISc Director G. Rangarajan, Dean Administration & Finance Anil Kumar, Chief Medical Officer IISc Health Center Satish Rao, BEST Cluster representatives and StrideAide leadership team members.
Published – 16 Dec 2025 23:25 IST
