• ETRI Journal
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.46-53
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• 2020

Gait analysis is an effective clinical tool across a wide range of applications. Recently, inertial measurement units have been extensively utilized for gait analysis. Effective gait analyses require good estimates of heel-strike and toe-off events. Previous studies have focused on the effective device position and type of triaxis direction to detect gait events. This study proposes an effective heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm using a smart insole with inertial measurement units. This method detects heel-strike and toe-off events through a time-frequency analysis by limiting the range. To assess its performance, gait data for seven healthy male subjects during walking and running were acquired. The proposed heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm yielded the largest error of 0.03 seconds for running toe-off events, and an average of 0-0.01 seconds for other gait tests. Novel gait analyses could be conducted without suffering from space limitations because gait parameters such as the cadence, stance phase time, swing phase time, single-support time, and double-support time can all be estimated using the proposed heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.733-738
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• 2014

We propose a new approach called as a peak time approach for faster detection of step initiation for the lower limb exoskeleton. As faster detection of step initiation is an important criterion in evaluating the lower limb exoskeleton, many studies have investigated approaches to detect step initiation faster, including using electromyography, the center of pressure, the heel-off time and the toe-off time. In this study, we will utilize vertical ground reaction force events to detect step initiation, and compare our approach with prior approaches. Additionally, we will predict the first step's heel strike time with vertical ground reaction force events from multiple regression equations to support our approach. The lower limb exoskeleton should assist the operator's movement much faster and more reliably with our approach.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.131-136
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• 2007

In this study, we developed an active ankle-foot orthosis(AAFO) which can control dorsi/ plantar flexion of the ankle joint to prevent foot drop and toe drag during walking. 3D gait analyses were performed on five healthy subjects under three different gait conditions: the normal gait without AFO, the SAFO gait with the conventional plastic AFO, and the AAFO gait with the developed AFO. As a result, the developed AAFO preeminently induced the normal gait compared to the SAFO. Additionally, AAFO prevented foot drop by proper plantarflexion during loading response and provided enough plantarflexion moment as a driving force to walk forward by sufficient push-off during pre-swing. AAFO also could prevent toe drag by proper dorsiflexion during swing phase. These results indicate that the developed AAFO may have more clinical benefits to treat foot drop and toe drag, compared to conventional AFOs, and also may be useful in patients with other orthotic devices.

• 한국운동역학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.159-166
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• 2009

본 연구의 목적은 실외 보행 실험 시 사용하기에 간편한 가속도계를 이용하여 보행 이벤트를 자동으로 검출하는 알고리즘을 개발하고 검증하는 것이다. 개발된 알고리즘은 신발의 발등에 부착된 3축 가속도계의 가속도의 총합과 보행 진행 방향(x축) 가속도를 이용하였다. 가속도 총합은 착지 시점의 검출에, x축 가속도는 이지 시점의 검출에 각각 사용되었다. 7명의 피험자가 느린 보행 속도 선호 보행 속도 빠른 보행 속도로 보행 실험을 수행하였고, 개발된 알고리즘의 검증을 위해 지면반력기를 포함한 3차원동작분석시스템과 동시에 실시되었다. 지면반력기를 이용한 보행 시점을 기준으로, 기존에 발표된 동작 자료만을 이용한 알고리즘을 통하여 얻어진 보행 시점도 함께 비교 하였다. 그 결과, 고안된 알고리즘의 정확도는 지면반력기를 이용한 값에 평균, 착지시점은 $22.33{\pm}17.45ms$, 이지시점은 $26.82{\pm}14.78ms$의 차이가 났고, 그 오차의 패턴이 일관적으로 20ms가량 먼저 검출되는 경향이 있었다. 일반적으로 트레드밀 실험에서 많이 사용되는 동작데이터를 통한 보행 시점의 비교에서도 크게 차이를 보이지 않았다. 그러므로 개발된 알고리즘은 실외 실험의 보행 시점 검출에 이용할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. 추후 연구로는 현재의 가속도계만으로 보행 시점뿐 만아니라, 중력가속도 성분을 제거하여 보행 공간변인의 추출이 필요할 것이다.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

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.

• 한국운동역학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.495-501
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop the inertial sensor module system to detect gait event using single angular rate sensor(gyroscope), and evaluate the accuracy of this system. This sensor module is attached at the heel and gait events such as heel strike, foot flat, heel off, toe off are detected by using proposed automatic event detection algorithm. The developed algorithm detect characteristics of pitch data of the gyroscope to find gait event. To evaluate the accuracy of system, 3D motion capture system was used and synchronized with sensor module system for comparison of gait event timings. In experiment, 6 subjects performed 5 trials level walking with 3 different conditions such as slow, preferred and fast. Results showed that gait event timings by sensor module system are similar to that by kinematic data, because maximum absolute errors were under 37.4msec regardless of gait velocity. Therefore, this system can be used to detect gait events. Although this system has advantages of small, light weight, long-term monitoring and high accuracy, it is necessary to improve the system to get other gait information such as gait velocity, stride length, step width and joint angles.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.319-341
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• 2016

Objective:This research analyzed the lower-limb motion in kinetic and kinematic way while walking on various terrains to develop Foot-Ground Contact Detection (FGCD) algorithm using the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Background: To estimate the location of human in GPS-denied environments, it is well known that the lower-limb kinematics based on IMU sensors, and pressure insoles are very useful. IMU is mainly used to solve the lower-limb kinematics, and pressure insole are mainly used to detect the foot-ground contacts in stance phase. However, the use of multiple sensors are not desirable in most cases. Therefore, only IMU based FGCD can be an efficient method. Method: Orientation and acceleration of lower-limb of 10 participants were measured using IMU while walking on flat ground, ascending and descending slope and stairs. And the inertial information showing significant changes at the Heel strike (HS), Full contact (FC), Heel off (HO) and Toe off (TO) was analyzed. Results: The results confirm that pitch angle, rate of pitch angle of foot and shank, and acceleration in x, z directions of the foot are useful in detecting the four different contacts in five different walking terrain. Conclusion: IMU based FGCD Algorithm considering all walking terrain possible in daily life was successfully developed based on all IMU output signals showing significant changes at the four steps of stance phase. Application: The information of the contact between foot and ground can be used for solving lower-limb kinematics to estimating an individual's location and walking speed.