Validation of balance-quality assessment using a modified bathroom scale

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Medical Devices
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Assessing balance quality is crucial for identifying fall risks and monitoring rehabilitation progress.
• Existing methods like force plates can be expensive and inaccessible for home use.
• There is a need for affordable, user-friendly devices for remote balance assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a Balance Quality Tester (BQT) for assessing balance quality.
• To evaluate the BQT's accuracy and agreement with a standard force plate.
• To explore the potential of the BQT for remote and long-term monitoring of balance.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Balance Quality Tester (BQT) using a standard electronic bathroom scale with an infrared detector and Bluetooth.
• Compared the BQT to a standard force plate using 12 subjects over 2 days (10 trials each).
• Analyzed the area and velocity of centre of pressure (COP) displacement for comparison.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found between the BQT and the force plate for COP displacement area and velocity.
• A high level of agreement was observed between the BQT and the force plate.
• The BQT demonstrated validity for remote balance assessment.

Conclusions:

• The Balance Quality Tester (BQT) is a valid and reliable device for assessing balance quality.
• The BQT's remote capabilities make it suitable for long-term monitoring of individuals with balance problems, especially in home settings.
• This technology offers a practical tool for improving accessibility in balance assessment and rehabilitation.