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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
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Home-Based Monitor for Gait and Activity Analysis
Published on: August 8, 2019
Implementation of an iPhone as a wireless accelerometer for quantifying gait characteristics
Robert Lemoyne1, Timothy Mastroianni, Michael Cozza
1Biomedical Engineering IDP, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1600, USA. rlemoyne@ucla.edu
Summary
This study shows that an iPhone application can accurately measure gait cycles wirelessly. This technology offers a scalable solution for remote gait analysis, reducing the burden on medical resources.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Wearable Technology
- Digital Health
Background:
- Clinical gait analysis is resource-intensive and limited to specialized facilities.
- There is a need for accessible, autonomous methods to quantify gait.
- Mobile devices offer potential for remote health monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an iPhone application as a wireless accelerometer for autonomous gait quantification.
- To assess the accuracy and consistency of gait data collected via the iPhone application.
- To explore the feasibility of remote gait analysis using smartphone technology.
Main Methods:
- Developed an iPhone application utilizing the device's 3D accelerometer.
- Tested the application in an autonomous environment for gait data acquisition.
- Transmitted gait cycle data wirelessly via email for remote post-processing.
Main Results:
- The iPhone application demonstrated sufficient accuracy in gait characteristic acquisition.
- The system showed consistency in measuring gait cycles.
- Wireless data transmission enabled remote analysis of gait data.
Conclusions:
- An iPhone application can serve as an effective wireless accelerometer for gait analysis.
- This approach provides a scalable and accurate method for autonomous gait quantification.
- Smartphone-based gait analysis can alleviate strain on medical resources and facilitate remote patient monitoring.
