Abstract
Gait analysis is a systematic study of human locomotion, which can be utilized in various applications, such as rehabilitation, clinical diagnostics and sports activities. The various limitations such as cost, non-portability, long setup time, post-processing time etc., of the current gait analysis techniques have made them unfeasible for individual use. This led to an increase in research interest in developing smart insoles where wearable sensors can be employed to detect vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) and other gait variables. Smart insoles are flexible, portable and comfortable for gait analysis, and can monitor plantar pressure frequently through embedded sensors that convert the applied pressure to an electrical signal that can be displayed and analyzed further. Several research teams are still working to improve the insoles’ features such as size, sensitivity of insoles sensors, durability, and the intelligence of insoles to monitor and control subjects’ gait by detecting various complications providing recommendation to enhance walking performance. Even though systematic sensor calibration approaches have been followed by different teams to calibrate insoles’ sensor, expensive calibration devices were used for calibration such as universal testing machines or infrared motion capture cameras equipped in motion analysis labs. This paper provides a systematic design and characterization procedure for three different pressure sensors: force-sensitive resistors (FSRs), ceramic piezoelectric sensors, and flexible piezoelectric sensors that can be used for detecting vGRF using a smart insole. A simple calibration method based on a load cell is presented as an alternative to the expensive calibration techniques. In addition, to evaluate the performance of the different sensors as a component for the smart insole, the acquired vGRF from different insoles were used to compare them. The results showed that the FSR is the most effective sensor among the three sensors for smart insole applications, whereas the piezoelectric sensors can be utilized in detecting the start and end of the gait cycle. This study will be useful for any research group in replicating the design of a customized smart insole for gait analysis.
Highlights
Gait analysis offers an opportunity for assessment of the act of walking, one of the most important features of the individual’s use pattern that displays posture in action
Vertical ground reaction forces are the forces between the foot and ground which can be obtained by wearable sensors [2]
The aim of this study is to design and characterize smart insoles to detect vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) during gait, with three different types of low-cost commercial force sensor: force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) [20], ceramic piezoelectric sensors [21], and flexible piezoelectric sensors [22]
Summary
Gait analysis offers an opportunity for assessment of the act of walking, one of the most important features of the individual’s use pattern that displays posture in action. Gait kinematics and musculoskeletal activity, gait analysis can be utilized in various applications, such as rehabilitation, clinical diagnostics and sport activities [1]. Gait kinetics have recently become a convenient tool for biomedical research and clinical practice. Different research teams studied the ability to diagnose or early detection of various diseases using gait analysis [3,4,5]. Some research teams used gait analysis in fall detection of elderly people, one of the most common domestic accidents among the elderly. In athletic sports where walking, running, jumping and throwing are involved, gait analysis can be utilized to recognize an athlete’s faulty movement and, enhance it. Gait analysis can play positive role in the rehabilitation process for several diseases and complications
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