Real-Time Identification of Impaired Gait Phases using a Single Foot-Mounted Inertial Sensor: Review and Feasibility Study

Author(s)

Perez-Ibarra, Juan C. ; Williams, Harry ; Siqueira, Adriano A. G. ; Krebs, Hermano I. ; IEEE

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: 2018 7TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMEDICAL ROBOTICS AND BIOMECHATRONICS (BIOROB2018); v. N/A, p. 6-pg., 2018-01-01.

Abstract

Contextualization: Identification of gait events is a key step towards enhancing control of robotic devices for rehabilitation and/or assistance of lower limb function. -Gap: Several approaches and techniques that can properly identify gait events and phases have been developed and successfully tested in healthy subjects, but current algorithms had limited success for impaired gait. -Purpose: Here we studied the feasibility of real-time identification of gait phases for impaired subjects using a single inertial sensor on the paretic foot. -Methodology: We carried out a pilot experiment evaluating seven algorithms proposed in the literature for detection of two main events (heel-strike [HS] and toe-off [TO]) for normal and hemiparetic gait. -Results: We obtained a high performance for healthy gait indicating their suitability for real-time implementation for that population. However, we obtained a lower accuracy for all the algorithms during hemiparetic-like gait. -Conclusions: We performed a comprehensive review of the literature and evaluated the current algorithms in gait segmentation using a single inertial sensor on foot or shank for both healthy and paretic gait. Existing algorithms worked as expected in healthy but not paretic gait. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/14756-0 - Adaptive variable impedance applied to robotic rehabilitation of walking
• Grantee: Adriano Almeida Gonçalves Siqueira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants