Application of Raw Accelerometer Data and Machine-Learning Techniques to Characterize Human Movement Behavior: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Application of machine learning for classifying human behavior is increasingly common as access to raw accelerometer data improves. The aims of this scoping review are (1) to examine if machine-learning techniques can accurately identify human activity behaviors from raw accelerometer data and (2) to summarize the practical implications of these machine-learning techniques for future work. Methods: Keyword searches were performed in Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases in 2018. Studies that applied supervised machine-learning techniques to raw accelerometer data and estimated components of physical activity were included. Information on study characteristics, machine-learning techniques, and key study findings were extracted from included studies. Results: Of the 53 studies included in the review, 75% were published in the last 5 years. Most studies predicted postures and activity type, rather than intensity, and were conducted in controlled environments using 1 or 2 devices. The most common models were support vector machine, random forest, and artificial neural network. Overall, classification accuracy ranged from 62% to 99.8%, although nearly 80% of studies achieved an overall accuracy above 85%. Conclusions: Machine-learning algorithms demonstrate good accuracy when predicting physical activity components; however, their application to free-living settings is currently uncertain.