Projects

Wearable Sensors

Wearable Sensors

In collaboration with Draper Laboratories and the Veterans Administration Hospital, wearable sensors research has been conducted in two different projects. A balance belt project, and a portable motion analysis project.

Balance Belt

The purpose of this study is to develop a wearable Balance Belt to alert patients with abnormal vestibular function for injury and fall prevention. The user will be alerted using four vibrotactiles situated around the belt in case the inertial measurement unit (IMU) senses a good potential of misbalance.

Portable Motion Analysis System

The purpose of this study is to develop a wearable motion analysis system (WMAS) using commercially available inertial measurement units (IMU) working in unison to record and output gait parameters in a clinically relevant way. The WMAS must accurately and reliably output common gait parameters such as gait speed, stride length, torso motion and head rotation velocities which are often indicators of TBI. Validation of the wearable motion analysis system capabilities has been conducted using the Vicon optical based motion analysis system with healthy subjects during various gait trials including increasing and decreasing cadence and speed; and turning. A graphical user interface (GUI) that is clinically relevant will be developed to make this system usable outside of clinical settings.