Dorschky, E.* ; Nitschké, M.J.E.* ; Mayer, M.* ; Weygers, I.* ; Gassner, H.* ; Seel, T.* ; Eskofier, B.M. ; Koelewijn, A.D.*
Comparing sparse inertial sensor setups for sagittal-plane walking and running reconstructions.
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 13:1507162 (2025)
Estimating spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic movement variables with little obtrusion to the user is critical for clinical and sports applications. One possible approach is using a sparse inertial sensor setup, where sensors are not placed on all relevant body segments. Here, we investigated if movement variables can be estimated similarly accurate from sparse sensor setups as from a full lower-body sensor setup. We estimated the variables by solving optimal control problems with sagittal plane lower-body musculoskeletal models, in which we minimized an objective that combined tracking of accelerometer and gyroscope data with minimizing muscular effort. We created simulations for 10 participants at three walking and three running speeds, using seven sensor setups with between two and seven sensors located at the feet, shank, thighs, and/or pelvis. We found that differences between variables estimated from inertial sensors and those from optical motion capture were small for all sensor setups. Including all sensors did not necessarily lead to the smallest root mean square deviations (RMSDs) and highest coefficients of determination ( R 2 ). Setups without a pelvis sensor led to too much forward trunk lean and inaccurate spatiotemporal variables. Mean RMSDs were highest for the setup with two foot-worn inertial sensors (largest error in knee angle during running: 18 deg vs. 11 deg for the full lower-body setup), and ranged between 4.8-18 deg for the joint angles, between 1.0-5.4 BW BH% for the joint moments, and between 0.03 BW-0.49 BW for the ground reaction forces. We found strong or moderate relationships ( R 2 > 0.5 ) on average for all kinematic and kinetic variables, except for the hip and knee moment for five out of the seven setups. The large range of the coefficient of determination for most kinetic variables indicated individual differences in simulation quality. Therefore, we conclude that we can perform a comprehensive sagittal-plane motion analysis with sparse sensor setups as accurately as with a full sensor setup with sensors on the feet and on either the pelvis or the thighs. Such a sparse sensor setup enables comprehensive movement analysis outside the laboratory, by increasing usability of inertial sensors.
Impact Factor
Scopus SNIP
Web of Science
Times Cited
Scopus
Cited By
Altmetric
Publikationstyp
Artikel: Journalartikel
Dokumenttyp
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
Typ der Hochschulschrift
Herausgeber
Schlagwörter
Gait Analysis ; Gait Simulations ; Inertial Measurement Units ; Optimal Control ; Trajectory Optimization; Contact
Keywords plus
Sprache
englisch
Veröffentlichungsjahr
2025
Prepublished im Jahr
0
HGF-Berichtsjahr
2025
ISSN (print) / ISBN
2296-4185
e-ISSN
2296-4185
ISBN
Bandtitel
Konferenztitel
Konferzenzdatum
Konferenzort
Konferenzband
Quellenangaben
Band: 13,
Heft: ,
Seiten: ,
Artikelnummer: 1507162
Supplement: ,
Reihe
Verlag
Frontiers
Verlagsort
Avenue Du Tribunal Federal 34, Lausanne, Ch-1015, Switzerland
Tag d. mündl. Prüfung
0000-00-00
Betreuer
Gutachter
Prüfer
Topic
Hochschule
Hochschulort
Fakultät
Veröffentlichungsdatum
0000-00-00
Anmeldedatum
0000-00-00
Anmelder/Inhaber
weitere Inhaber
Anmeldeland
Priorität
Begutachtungsstatus
Peer reviewed
Institut(e)
Institute of AI for Health (AIH)
POF Topic(s)
30205 - Bioengineering and Digital Health
Forschungsfeld(er)
Enabling and Novel Technologies
PSP-Element(e)
G-540008-001
Förderungen
Fraunhofer Internal Programs
European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations
European Union
Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking
Adidas AG
German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
Copyright
Erfassungsdatum
2025-05-05