Adaptive method for real-time gait phase detection based on ground contact forces

Abstract

A novel method is presented to detect real-time gait phases based on ground contact forces (GCFs) measured by force sensitive resistors (FSRs). The traditional threshold method (TM) sets a threshold to divide the GCFs into on-ground and off-ground statuses. However, TM is neither an adaptive nor real-time method. The threshold setting is based on body weight or the maximum and minimum GCFs in the gait cycles, resulting in different thresholds needed for different walking conditions. Additionally, the maximum and minimum GCFs are only obtainable after data processing. Therefore, this paper proposes a proportion method (PM) that calculates the sums and proportions of GCFs wherein the GCFs are obtained from FSRs. A gait analysis is then implemented by the proposed gait phase detection algorithm (GPDA). Finally, the PM reliability is determined by comparing the detection results between PM and TM. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed PM is highly reliable in all walking conditions. In addition, PM could be utilized to analyze gait phases in real time. Finally, PM exhibits strong adaptability to different walking conditions.

Keywords: Force sensitive resistors; Gait phase detection algorithm; Ground contact forces; Proportion method; Threshold method.