Gait Analysis Using a Shoe-Integrated Wireless Sensor System

TLDR

The GaitShoe is a wireless wearable system designed to unobtrusively collect quantitative gait data in any shoe and environment outside the motion laboratory. It comprises tri‑axial accelerometers, gyroscopes, force, bend, pressure, and electric field height sensors, whose calibrated outputs are processed and validated against laboratory measurements. The GaitShoe accurately detected heel‑strike and toe‑off events and estimated foot orientation and position.

Abstract

We describe a wireless wearable system that was developed to provide quantitative gait analysis outside the confines of the traditional motion laboratory. The sensor suite includes three orthogonal accelerometers, three orthogonal gyroscopes, four force sensors, two bidirectional bend sensors, two dynamic pressure sensors, as well as electric field height sensors. The "GaitShoe" was built to be worn in any shoe, without interfering with gait and was designed to collect data unobtrusively, in any environment, and over long periods. The calibrated sensor outputs were analyzed and validated with results obtained simultaneously from the Massachusetts General Hospital, Biomotion Laboratory. The GaitShoe proved highly capable of detecting heel-strike and toe-off, as well as estimating foot orientation and position, inter alia.