A Wireless Sensorized Insole for Gait Quantification

Abstract

A wireless footwear insole is developed, which is useful in data acquisition and analysis of gait parameters. Regular assessing is essential to examine the quality of gait before, after and during rehabilitation. Footgear systems are quite a common choice for investigators as they are non-invasive with consumer friendly setup. The apparatus designed here, investigates gait patterns by using FSR type pressure sensing elements, integrated within the shoe insole. The positioning of the sensors were marked by capturing the footprint of the subject in a sandbox and then indicating the depressions. The sensors logged the data during each step and parameters were obtained from the data by performing post processing. Experiments were carried out, to validate the reliability of the obtained data by the developed insole system and the efficiency of the algorithm to calculate the parameters. A symmetry has been observed in the case of healthy subjects in terms of alike step lengths, stride lengths, velocities and centre of pressure trajectories. A wireless pressure-sensor-based insole system is developed to observe gait parameters and critical occurrences. The device is used to calculate various parameters for five subjects for different path lengths of 12 m, 16 m and 20 m.