Development of automated gait assessment algorithm using three inertial sensors and its reliability

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sensor Technology
• Gait Analysis

Background:

• Gait assessment is crucial for understanding human locomotion and diagnosing movement disorders.
• Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) offer a portable and cost-effective alternative to laboratory-based motion capture systems.
• Developing reliable algorithms for IMU-based gait analysis is essential for widespread clinical adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automated gait assessment algorithm using IMUs.
• To investigate the test-retest reliability of the Technology Enabled Medical Precision and Observation (TEMPO) IMU system.
• To evaluate the inter-instrument reliability of the TEMPO system compared to a gold-standard infrared camera and force plate system.

Main Methods:

• Nine healthy young adults performed walking trials in a locomotion laboratory.
• Accelerations and angular velocities were measured using the TEMPO IMU system.
• An automated algorithm extracted gait parameters, which were compared against a Qualisys infrared camera and force plate system.

Main Results:

• The TEMPO system demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability for foot swing angle, step length, and stride length (ICCs 0.79–0.93).
• Test-retest reliability was fair to good for most temporal gait parameters, but poor for right swing time (ICC 0.03).
• Inter-instrument reliability was high for left stance time (ICC 0.87) but poor for most other parameters, indicating significant discrepancies with the camera system.

Conclusions:

• The developed automated gait assessment algorithm using the TEMPO IMU system exhibits high test-retest reliability for several important gait parameters.
• Despite good internal consistency, the TEMPO system's agreement with laboratory-based systems is limited, necessitating algorithm refinement for improved clinical validity.
• Further development is required to enhance the accuracy and comparability of IMU-based gait analysis with established gold-standard methods.