A Method for the Long-Term Gait Assessment Utilizing Accelerometers and Gyroscopes

This paper describes an alternative method for the assessment of locomotion, based on the combination of the advanced wearable instruments and a simple kinematic model. The advantage of the method is that it does not require special laboratory equipments and can be used for field studies with a comp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTransactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Series C Vol. 67; no. 655; pp. 782 - 788
Main Authors OHTAKI, Yasuaki, SAGAWA, Koichi, INOOKA, Hikaru
Format Journal Article
LanguageJapanese
Published The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 2001
Subjects
Accelerometer
Bio-Motion
Biomechanics
Biped Locomotion
Gyroscopes
Information Processing and Signal Analysis
Kinematics
Portabled Data Acquisition
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Summary:This paper describes an alternative method for the assessment of locomotion, based on the combination of the advanced wearable instruments and a simple kinematic model. The advantage of the method is that it does not require special laboratory equipments and can be used for field studies with a completely body-mounted recording system. Multiaxis accelerometers and gyroscopes were attached to each segment of lower extremities. The process included detection of temporal parameters of locomotion, calculation of joint angles, and estimation of the ground reaction force in the sagittal plane. In addition, inter segmental joint moments and powers were calculated by inverse dynamical analysis. Finally we obtained an index of energy expenditure. Validation of the method was evaluated in comparison with a conventional gait analysis system such as video-based motion analysis system and force plate. Initial results show that it is possible to use this method for the long-term assessment of locomotion during normal level walking.
ISSN:0387-5024
1884-8354
DOI:10.1299/kikaic.67.782