Evaluation of Walking Motions with the Aid of Walkers Using Acceleration Sensors

Abstract

Walkers are tools that are used to improve self-reliance when walking. In this study, the unstable motions of gait in subjects who use walkers were analyzed using tri-axial accelerometers and a motion capture system. Several markers were placed on the subjects’ backs and legs, and two high-speed video cameras were employed to record the motion of these markers. The subjects were asked to walk around a test course at a comfortable speed. The activities performed on the test course consisted of standing, normal walking, fast walking, walking over a barrier, and falling down. The authors’ results determined the characteristic rules of gait motion with walker use. They found that acceleration sensors are convenient for extracting characteristics from the gait motions. They believe that the methods employed with the acceleration sensors are suitable for the discovery of the average gait motions of elderly patients living in nursing homes and can be used to evaluate walking motion before and after rehabilitation.