Toward Real-Time Automated Detection of Turns during Gait Using Wearable Inertial Measurement Units

Sensors

Domen Novak²  Maja Goršič¹  Janez Podobnik¹ 

[1] Laboratory of Robotics, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; E-Mails:;Sensory-Motor Systems Lab, ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 1, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland

关键词: gait analysis;    inertial measurement units;    gait event detection;    wearable sensors;    wireless sensor networks;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s141018800

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Previous studies have presented algorithms for detection of turns during gait using wearable sensors, but those algorithms were not built for real-time use. This paper therefore investigates the optimal approach for real-time detection of planned turns during gait using wearable inertial measurement units. Several different sensor positions (head, back and legs) and three different detection criteria (orientation, angular velocity and both) are compared with regard to their ability to correctly detect turn onset. Furthermore, the different sensor positions are compared with regard to their ability to predict the turn direction and amplitude. The evaluation was performed on ten healthy subjects who performed left/right turns at three amplitudes (22, 45 and 90 degrees). Results showed that turn onset can be most accurately detected with sensors on the back and using a combination of orientation and angular velocity. The same setup also gives the best prediction of turn direction and amplitude. Preliminary measurements with a single amputee were also performed and highlighted important differences such as slower turning that need to be taken into account.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.