Mobile Apps for Foot Measurement in Pedorthic Practice : Scoping Review
foot dimension extraction heavily depends on 3D scanners that are used in both commercial and research areas specifically for measuring foot dimensions [ 20 ]. Other studies explored various techniques such as digital light project technology , image sensors , and 3D digitizing devices , including second-generation Kinect , to measure foot length , foot width , and metatarsal / ball girth
[ 21-23 ]
. However , footwear and insole design , instep and medial arch height , ball girth , and forefoot tilt are also necessary foot measurement dimensions [ 28-30 ]. In other works , laser scanners were used to scan foot length . The scanned data can also be refined and modified using laser scanners , and can be used for remodeling the human foot [ 31-33 ] .
Taking these important pedorthic guidelines for foot measurement into account , the app measurement-specific functionality category considered for the weighing of foot measurement apps included the following measurement properties : ( 1 ) foot length , ( 2 ) foot width , ( 3 ) arch height , ( 4 ) instep girth , ( 5 ) joint girth , ( 6 ) short heel girth , ( 7 ) long heel girth , ( 8 ) heel width , ( 9 ) shoe size , and ( 10 ) forefoot tilt . Additional discoveries about taking inputs from camera sensors / images , the requirement of calibration markers or extra setup , along with the possibility of reconstruction of a 3D model of the foot were scoped into the rating scheme as functionality subscale items .
Transparency
Mobile apps that use social and personal information for their functioning are common targets for various businesses that capitalize on personalized services [ 34 ] . Apps frequently sell private information that is critical to an individual ’ s everyday livelihood without their awareness or approval , and the main cause of this is an improper mobile privacy policy . It must be ensured that when a user gives their consent to private data being accessed by apps , the apps strictly follow specific forms of data protection and regulation rules , and explicitly express to the users how and why their data are being collected , even if users may not understand the direct consequences of this action . Betzing et al [ 34 ] examined how increased transparency regarding personal data processing practices in mobile permission requests impacts users in making informed decisions , demonstrating that increasing the transparency of data processing practices increases users ’ comprehension of their consent decisions . This suggests that obtaining user consent and following data protection rules are important items for the transparency of an app . In the case of foot measurement apps , the above-mentioned constraints should be followed along with verification of the publisher or developer as to whether the source of the app can be trusted and whether the app is successful in meeting its goals as described in the store description , which are also subject to scrutiny . With this information , a user can make an informed decision before downloading the app by determining the app ’ s authenticity .
To assess the transparency criteria of the selected apps , the following points were considered : ( 1 ) providing a general notice or an alert to users before accessing the user ’ s personal information , geolocation information , or private media files ; ( 2 ) clearly specifying the intention of use of permissions by the app ; ( 3 ) whether the app store page contained information and a description that aligned with the app goals ; ( 4 ) whether the app conflicted with the user ’ s activities in unexpected ways ; and ( 5 ) whether the techniques in the app are feasible to provide the desired output as
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