Impact of Shoe Parameters on Gait Using Wearables

TL;DR

This paper investigates how different shoe parameters affect walking biomechanics using wearable IMU sensors and advanced data processing to analyze gait patterns, aiming to improve footwear design and mobility solutions.

Contribution

It introduces a methodology combining wearable sensors and Kalman filtering to assess shoe impact on gait, offering new insights into footwear biomechanics.

Findings

Correlations between shoe parameters and gait stability

Impact of footwear on step time and propulsion

Enhanced understanding of footwear influence on walking efficiency

Abstract

The study of biomechanics during locomotion provides valuable insights into the effects of varying conditions on specific movement patterns. This research focuses on examining the influence of different shoe parameters on walking biomechanics, aiming to understand their impact on gait patterns. To achieve this, various methodologies are explored to estimate human body biomechanics, including computer vision techniques and wearable devices equipped with advanced sensors. Given privacy considerations and the need for robust, accurate measurements, this study employs wearable devices with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors. These devices offer a non-invasive, precise, and high-resolution approach to capturing biomechanical data during locomotion. Raw sensor data collected from wearable devices is processed using an Extended Kalman Filter to reduce noise and extract meaningful information. This includes calculating joint angles throughout the gait cycle, enabling a detailed analysis of movement dynamics. The analysis identifies correlations between shoe parameters and key gait characteristics, such as stability, mobility, step time, and propulsion forces. The findings provide deeper insights into how footwear design influences walking efficiency and biomechanics. This study paves the way for advancements in footwear technology and contributes to the development of personalized solutions for enhancing gait performance and mobility.