GAIT ANALYSIS SYSTEM

• US 20080146968A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: SAWAMURA, Masaharu, FUJIMOTO, Naoyuki, FURUKAWA, Yota, HANAWAKA, Masuo
• Application Number:
  US11/955,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146968A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait

Abstract

A gait analysis system has:

• • a gait sensor which is to be attached to one foot or both feet of a walking person, and which wirelessly outputs detection data of at least one of an acceleration and an angular velocity;
  • a portable terminal which receives the detection data, and which stores the data for a predetermined time period; and
  • a gait analyzing apparatus which, based on the detection data obtained from the portable terminal, calculates two- or three-dimensional position information and status information of the foot or feet at an arbitrary time.

Claims

1. A gait analysis system comprising:

a gait sensor which is to be attached to a foot portion of one foot or both feet of a walking person, and which wirelessly outputs detection data of at least one of an acceleration and an angular velocity;

a wireless communication device which receives the detection data; and

a gait analyzing apparatus which, based on the detection data obtained via said wireless communication device, calculates two- or three-dimensional position information and status information of the foot portion at an arbitrary time.

2. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein a start and end of the obtaining of the detection data are determined on the bases of continuation of a suspending state of the foot portion for a constant time period.

3. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein detection of a suspending state of the foot portion is determined by satisfying at least one of conditions that a detection value of the angular velocity is not larger than a certain threshold, and that a detection value of the acceleration is not larger than a certain threshold.

4. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait sensor comprises at least one of an X-Y-Z direction acceleration sensor and an X-Y-Z direction angular velocity sensor.

5. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait sensor is attached to a vicinity of a toe portion of a footwear of the walking person.

6. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait sensor is attached to a vicinity of a heel portion of a footwear of the walking person.

7. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless access point formed on a network.

8. A gait analysis system according to claim 7, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus obtains the detection data from said wireless access point via said network.

9. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus calculates a relative moving distance by a gait analysis algorithm which processes the detection data, and, based on the relative moving distance, calculates the status information including at least one of data of a gait position, a gait time period, a stride, a gait speed, a ratio of stance, and a ratio of swing.

10. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus integrates at least one of an angular velocity and an acceleration in each step to calculate an angle, velocity, and moving distance which are two- or three-dimensional.

11. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus uses at least one of an integration error of the angular velocity, and an integration error of the acceleration in order to correct a distance error of each step.

12. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus calculates the position information and the status information in real time with respect to the detection data.

13. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus does not transmit the detection data of a predetermined time period to said wireless communication device, and holds the detection data in a memory resource of said gait analyzing apparatus.

14. A gait analysis system according to claim 1, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus communicates with said gait sensor via said wireless communication device to perform tuning on said gait sensor.

15. A gait analysis system comprising:

a gait sensor which is to be attached to a foot portion of one foot or both feet of a walking person, and which wirelessly outputs detection data of at least one of an acceleration and an angular velocity;

a portable terminal which receives the detection data, and which stores the data for a predetermined time period; and

a gait analyzing apparatus which, based on the detection data obtained from said portable terminal, calculates twos or three-dimensional position information and status information of the toot portion at an arbitrary time.

16. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait sensor comprises at least one of an X-Y-Z direction acceleration sensor and an X-Y-Z direction angular velocity sensor.

17. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait sensor is attached to a vicinity of a toe portion of a footwear of the walking person.

18. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait sensor is attached to a vicinity of a heel portion of a footwear of the walking person.

19. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said portable terminal is carried by an assistant who is in a vicinity of the walking person.

20. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus obtains the detection data from said portable terminal via a USB interface.

21. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus obtains the detection data from said portable terminal via a detachable storing section.

22. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus calculates a relative moving distance by a gait analysis algorithm which processes the detection data, and, based on the relative moving distance, calculates status information including at least one of data of a gait position, a gait time period, a stride, a gait speed, a ratio of stance, and a ratio of swing.

23. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus integrates at least one of an angular velocity and an acceleration in each step to calculate an angle, velocity, and moving distance which are two- or three-dimensional.

24. A gait analysis system according to claim 15, wherein said gait analyzing apparatus delivers output information to at least one of a doctor, a physical therapist, and the walking person, directly or via a network.