Introduction: Accurately assessing people's gait, especially in real-world conditions and in case of impaired mobility, is still a challenge due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors resulting in gait complexity. To improve the estimation of gait-related digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) in real-world scenarios, this study presents a wearable multi-sensor system (INDIP), integrating complementary sensing approaches (two plantar pressure insoles, three inertial units and two distance sensors).Methods: The INDIP technical validity was assessed against stereophotogrammetry during a laboratory experimental protocol comprising structured tests (including continuous curvilinear and rectilinear walking and steps) and a simulation of daily-life activities (including intermittent gait and short walking bouts). To evaluate its performance on various gait patterns, data were collected on 128 participants from seven cohorts: healthy young and older adults, patients with Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and proximal femur fracture. Moreover, INDIP usability was evaluated by recording 2.5-h of real-world unsupervised activity.Results and discussion: Excellent absolute agreement (ICC >0.95) and very limited mean absolute errors were observed for all cohorts and digital mobility outcomes (cadence =0.61 steps/min, stride length =0.02 m, walking speed =0.02 m/s) in the structured tests. Larger, but limited, errors were observed during the daily-life simulation (cadence 2.72-4.87 steps/min, stride length 0.04-0.06 m, walking speed 0.03-0.05 m/s). Neither major technical nor usability issues were declared during the 2.5-h acquisitions. Therefore, the INDIP system can be considered a valid and feasible solution to collect reference data for analyzing gait in real-world conditions.

A multi-sensor wearable system for the assessment of diseased gait in real-world conditions / Salis, F; Bertuletti, S; Bonci, T; Caruso, M; Scott, K; Alcock, L; Buckley, E; Gazit, E; Hansen, C; Schwickert, L; Aminian, K; Becker, C; Brown, P; Carsin, Ae; Caulfield, B; Chiari, L; D'Ascanio, I; Del Din, S; Eskofier, Bm; Garcia-Aymerich, J; Hausdorff, Jm; Hume, Ec; Kirk, C; Kluge, F; Koch, S; Kuederle, A; Maetzler, W; Mico-Amigo, Em; Mueller, A; Neatrour, I; Paraschiv-Ionescu, A; Palmerini, L; Yarnall, Aj; Rochester, L; Sharrack, B; Singleton, D; Vereijken, B; Vogiatzis, I; Della Croce, U; Mazza, C; Cereatti, A. - In: FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. - ISSN 2296-4185. - 11:(2023), p. 1143248. [10.3389/fbioe.2023.1143248]

A multi-sensor wearable system for the assessment of diseased gait in real-world conditions

Bertuletti, S;Bonci, T;Della Croce, U;
2023-01-01

Abstract

Introduction: Accurately assessing people's gait, especially in real-world conditions and in case of impaired mobility, is still a challenge due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors resulting in gait complexity. To improve the estimation of gait-related digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) in real-world scenarios, this study presents a wearable multi-sensor system (INDIP), integrating complementary sensing approaches (two plantar pressure insoles, three inertial units and two distance sensors).Methods: The INDIP technical validity was assessed against stereophotogrammetry during a laboratory experimental protocol comprising structured tests (including continuous curvilinear and rectilinear walking and steps) and a simulation of daily-life activities (including intermittent gait and short walking bouts). To evaluate its performance on various gait patterns, data were collected on 128 participants from seven cohorts: healthy young and older adults, patients with Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and proximal femur fracture. Moreover, INDIP usability was evaluated by recording 2.5-h of real-world unsupervised activity.Results and discussion: Excellent absolute agreement (ICC >0.95) and very limited mean absolute errors were observed for all cohorts and digital mobility outcomes (cadence =0.61 steps/min, stride length =0.02 m, walking speed =0.02 m/s) in the structured tests. Larger, but limited, errors were observed during the daily-life simulation (cadence 2.72-4.87 steps/min, stride length 0.04-0.06 m, walking speed 0.03-0.05 m/s). Neither major technical nor usability issues were declared during the 2.5-h acquisitions. Therefore, the INDIP system can be considered a valid and feasible solution to collect reference data for analyzing gait in real-world conditions.
2023
A multi-sensor wearable system for the assessment of diseased gait in real-world conditions / Salis, F; Bertuletti, S; Bonci, T; Caruso, M; Scott, K; Alcock, L; Buckley, E; Gazit, E; Hansen, C; Schwickert, L; Aminian, K; Becker, C; Brown, P; Carsin, Ae; Caulfield, B; Chiari, L; D'Ascanio, I; Del Din, S; Eskofier, Bm; Garcia-Aymerich, J; Hausdorff, Jm; Hume, Ec; Kirk, C; Kluge, F; Koch, S; Kuederle, A; Maetzler, W; Mico-Amigo, Em; Mueller, A; Neatrour, I; Paraschiv-Ionescu, A; Palmerini, L; Yarnall, Aj; Rochester, L; Sharrack, B; Singleton, D; Vereijken, B; Vogiatzis, I; Della Croce, U; Mazza, C; Cereatti, A. - In: FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. - ISSN 2296-4185. - 11:(2023), p. 1143248. [10.3389/fbioe.2023.1143248]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/317369
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