A Postural Model for Tracking the Base of Support^.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Locomotion
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Mobility impairment and balance deterioration are significant challenges in aging societies.
• Limited understanding of human locomotion hinders the development of effective therapies.
• Aging populations worldwide necessitate innovative solutions for maintaining balance and mobility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel technique for tracking the base of support (BoS) geometry from foot posture.
• To validate the proposed method in healthy subjects.
• To enable the development of sensors for evaluating balance during daily activities.

Main Methods:

• Development of a posture-dependent reference frame termed Saddle Space.
• Alignment of Saddle Space to the principal direction of the potential energy surface.
• Tracking of BoS geometry using foot posture data.

Main Results:

• Successful validation of the BoS tracking technique with healthy subjects.
• Demonstration of the Saddle Space's utility in describing posture-dependent variables.
• Establishment of a foundation for sensor development for balance assessment.

Conclusions:

• The proposed technique offers a viable method for tracking BoS geometry.
• This approach has direct applications in developing assistive technologies for balance evaluation.
• The methodology is adaptable for use in bipedal robotics and other posture-dependent analyses.