A wireless modular sensor architecture and its application in on-shoe gait analysis

Abstract

We have developed a compact wireless modular sensor architecture, which contains a number of circuit boards (panes), currently used in an application for on-shoe gait analysis. Each pane instantiates a major function - e.g. inertial sensing, tactile sensing or data collection and transmission. As opposed to similar architectures, this system treats the sensor panes as discrete design objects that have data collection as their primary goal. This architecture has allowed us to develop a shoe-mounted system that is capable of measuring gait parameters outside of a traditional motion laboratory. The small size of the circuit boards allows for a compact attachment that fits on the back of the shoe, and the integrated wireless transceiver allows the data to be collected continuously and in any environment.