Intra-individual gait pattern variability in specific situations: Implications for forensic gait analysis

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 264; pp. 15 - 23
• Main Authors: Ludwig, Oliver, Dillinger, Steffen, Marschall, Franz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.07.2016; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Ankle; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Biometric Identification - methods; Biometrics; Cameras; CCTV; Fatigue; Fatigue (materials); Female; Forensic engineering; Forensic science; Forensic sciences; Forensic Sciences - methods; Gait; Gait - physiology; Gait analysis; Gait biometrics; Head Protective Devices; hips; Humans; Identification; Inference; Joints - physiology; Lower Extremity - physiology; Male; Masking; Motorcycles; Muscle Fatigue - physiology; Pathology; people; physical phases; Physiology; Shoes; Shoes & boots; Software; Variability; vision; Walking; Walking - physiology; Identification; Forensic science; CCTV; Gait biometrics; Variability; Gait analysis; gait biometrics; forensic science; identification; variability; gait analysis
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.02.043

•Human gait patterns are not invariant like fingerprints.•Gait patterns change depending on multiple factors.•Disturbance variables are, inter alia, vision, footwear and fatigue.•Evidence-based conclusions on the identification of persons are difficult. In this study, inter- and intra-individual gait pattern differences are examined in various gait situations by means of phase diagrams of the extremity angles (cyclograms). 8 test subjects walked along a walking distance of 6m under different conditions three times each: barefoot, wearing sneakers, wearing combat boots, after muscular fatigue, and wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet restricting vision. The joint angles of foot, knee, and hip were recorded in the sagittal plane. The coupling of movements was represented by time-adjusted cyclograms, and the inter- and intra-individual differences were captured by calculating the similarity between different gait patterns. Gait pattern variability was often greater between the defined test situations than between the individual test subjects. The results have been interpreted considering neurophysiological regulation mechanisms. Footwear, masking, and fatigue were interpreted as disturbance parameters, each being a cause for gait pattern variability and complicating the inference of identity of persons in video recordings.