A Magnetometer-Based Approach for Studying Human Movements

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of body-mounted magnetic field sensors for the analysis of certain human movements. We demonstrate that, in several usual dynamic situations, magnetometers allow to estimate accurately a body inclination while being insensitive to its acceleration. Doing this, it is then possible to combine this information together with the one provided by an accelerometer to separate in a very accurate way the gravitational and kinematical components of acceleration. The proposed method is illustrated by the study of the sit-to-stand movement, estimating trunk inclination and absolute acceleration.