A Fully Wireless Wearable Motion Tracking System with 3D Human Model for Gait Analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Gait analysis is crucial for understanding movement disorders and informing rehabilitation strategies.
• Existing motion tracking systems can be expensive, cumbersome, or limited to specific environments.
• Accurate and accessible tools are needed to assess gait and interlimb coordination in clinical and research settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, affordable, and convenient wearable motion tracking system.
• To enable recording and playback functionalities for comprehensive gait analysis.
• To support applications in fall risk reduction and gait retraining.

Main Methods:

• Development of a system comprising ten custom wearable straps, a receiver, and a central computer.
• Implementation of motion tracking capabilities for both lower and upper body segments.
• Calculation of five key gait parameters during experimental trials.

Main Results:

• The system successfully calculates five gait parameters, demonstrating its utility in quantitative gait assessment.
• The system has the potential to identify deviant gait patterns by analyzing kinematic data.
• Tracking of upper body parameters, such as arm swing, was achieved, offering insights into interlimb coordination.

Conclusions:

• The proposed wearable motion tracking system offers an affordable and versatile solution for gait analysis and interlimb coordination studies.
• Its recording and playback features are valuable for rehabilitation settings, aiding in fall risk assessment and gait retraining.
• The system's ability to track both lower and upper body movements holds promise for the study of pathological gaits and complex movement patterns.