Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2025
An Objective and Child-friendly Assessment of Arm Function by Using a 3-D Sensor
Published on: February 12, 2018
Reliability and Usability Analysis of an Embedded System Capable of Evaluating Balance in Elderly Populations Based
Ángel Gabriel Estévez-Pedraza1,2, Enrique Hernandez-Laredo1, María Elena Millan-Guadarrama3
1Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca de Lerdo 50180, Mexico.
Abstract:
This paper analyzes the reliability and usability of a portable electronic instrument that measures balance and balance impairment in older adults. The center of pressure (CoP) metrics are measured with a modified Wii Balance Board (mWBB) platform. In the intra- and inter-rater testing, 16 and 43 volunteers (mean 75.66 and standard deviation (SD) of 7.86 years and 72.61 (SD 7.86) years, respectively) collaborated. Five volunteer raters (5.1 (SD 3.69) years of experience) answered the System Usability Scale (SUS). The most reliable CoP index in the intra-examiner tests was the 95% power frequency in the medial-lateral displacement of the CoP with closed-eyes. It had excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient ICC = 0.948 (C.I. 0.862-0.982) and a Pearson's correlation coefficient PCC = 0.966 (p < 0.001). The best index for the inter-rater reliability was the centroidal frequency in the anterior-posterior direction closed-eyes, which had an ICC (2,1) = 0.825. The mWBB also obtained a high usability score. These results support the mWBB as a reliable complementary tool for measuring balance in older adults. Additionally, it does not have the limitations of laboratory-grade systems and clinical screening instruments.
