Comparison of Motion Sensor Systems for Gait Phase Detection

Gait phase detection is important for evaluating the recovery of gait ability in patients with paralysis, and for determining the stimulation timing in FES walking. In this study, three different motion sensors(tilt sensor, gyrosensor and accelerometer) were used to detect gait events(heel strike, HS; toe off, TO) and they were compared one another to determine the most applicable sensor for gait phase detection. Motion sensors were attached on the shank and heel of subjects. Gait phases determined by the characteristics of each sensor's signal were compared with those from FVA. Gait phase detections using three different motion sensors were valid, since they all have reliabilities more than 95%, when compared with FVA. HS and TO were determined by both FVA and motion sensor signals, and the accuracy of detecting HS and TO with motion sensors were assessed by the time differences between FVA and motion sensors. Results show of that the tilt sensor and the gyrosensor could detect gait phase more accurately in normal subjects. Vertical acceleration from the accelerometer could detect HS most accurately in hemiplegic patient group A. The gyrosensor could detect HS and TO most accurately in hemiplegic patient group A and B. Valid error ranges of HS and TO were determined by 3.9 % and 13.6 % in normal subjects, respectively. The detection of TO from all sensor signals was valid in both patient group A and B. However, the vertical acceleration detected HS validly in patient group A and the gyrosensor detected HS validly in patient group B. We could determine the most applicable motion sensors to detect gait phases in hemiplegic patients. However, since hemiplegic patients have much different gait patterns one another, further experimental studies using various simple motion sensors would be required to determine gait events in pathologic gaits.

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