Characterisation of rollator use using inertial sensors

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Rollators are crucial walking aids for individuals with mobility impairments, particularly for outdoor navigation.
• Current research on rollator use in real-world, uncontrolled environments is limited.
• Understanding rollator dynamics is essential for improving user safety and mobility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize rollator movement and user interaction in outdoor settings.
• To develop and validate analytical approaches for analyzing rollator motion data.
• To assess the feasibility of using inertial measurement units (IMUs) for this purpose.

Main Methods:

• An inertial measurement unit (IMU) was attached to a rollator to capture motion data.
• Analytical methods were developed to extract features related to rollator movement, surface properties, and user push events.
• Data was validated against a motion capture system in a laboratory setting and tested with a user with multiple sclerosis in diverse outdoor conditions.

Main Results:

• IMU-derived measurements of surface inclination and distance traveled closely approximated ground truth data.
• The study successfully demonstrated the ability to characterize rollator movement and user pushing styles.
• The system showed potential for real-world application in assessing outdoor mobility.

Conclusions:

• IMU-based analytics offer a promising, non-invasive method for characterizing rollator use in complex environments.
• This technology can provide valuable insights into user mobility and aid in the design of improved assistive devices.
• Further research can expand the application of IMU-derived metrics for enhanced rehabilitation and mobility support.