Abstract
Despite the accessibility of several step count measurement systems, count accuracy in real environments remains a major challenge. Microelectromechanical systems and pressure sensors seem to present a potential solution for step count accuracy. The purpose of this study was to equip an insole with pressure sensors and to test a novel and potentially more accurate method of detecting steps. Methods: Five force-sensitive resistors (FSR) were integrated under the heel, the first, third, and fifth metatarsal heads and the great toe. This system was tested with twelve healthy participants at self-selected and maximal walking speeds in indoor and outdoor settings. Step counts were computed based on previously reported calculation methods, individual and averaged FSR-signals, and a new method: cumulative sum of all FSR-signals. These data were compared to a direct visual step count for accuracy analysis. Results: This system accurately detected steps with success rates ranging from 95.5 ± 3.5% to 98.5 ± 2.1% (indoor) and from 96.5 ± 3.9% to 98.0 ± 2.3% (outdoor) for self-selected walking speeds and from 98.1 ± 2.7% to 99.0 ± 0.7% (indoor) and 97.0 ± 6.2% to 99.4 ± 0.7% (outdoor) for maximal walking speeds. Cumulative sum of pressure signals during the stance phase showed high step detection accuracy (99.5 ± 0.7%–99.6 ± 0.4%) and appeared to be a valid method of step counting. Conclusions: The accuracy of step counts varied according to the calculation methods, with cumulative sum-based method being highly accurate.
Highlights
Advances in technology during the past decades have led to circuit boards being increasingly miniaturized, which has facilitated the design of wearable measuring and recording devices
Very high step count accuracy is clearly needed. To address this step count accuracy problem, we propose in the present study (1) to equip a customer-based insole integrating five force sensitive resistors (FSR) to measure foot pressure, and (2)
Pressure sensors were placed in a commercial insole that was flexible, lightweight, versatile and low-cost
Summary
Advances in technology during the past decades have led to circuit boards being increasingly miniaturized, which has facilitated the design of wearable measuring and recording devices. These devices have application in the health care system, in particular in rehabilitation for monitoring, and training [1,2,3]. Some wearable devices such as pedometers, accelerometers, activity monitors are used to measure and record daily step counts [4,5,6,7,8,9,10] which are an important indicator of energy expenditure in daily life activity [11]. Activity monitors that include accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer sensors [17,18,19] have been shown to accurately reflect the number of steps taken with more than 90% of accuracy in the same
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