A wearable ultrasonic sensor network for analysis of bilateral gait symmetry

Analysis of bilateral gait symmetry and coordination is important in rehabilitation after lower-extremity trauma, prosthesis and neurovascular diseases. Moreover, it can act as a precursor of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. Current methods for gait symmetry analysis include Opto-electronic systems using multiple high-speed cameras, instrumented platforms etc. which are complex and costly. We propose a low-cost, wearable ultrasonic sensor network using readily available components, which is easy to use, portable and does not require complex calibration procedures. The system was tested on five healthy subjects and the results were compared with Motion Capture system. The experimental results show that the proposed system can be used to assess the human gait symmetry in a convenient and homely setup.