Portable system for force measurement of long-term monitoring during human gait

The characterization of human gait using force platforms is one of the finest areas of biomechanics. Typically these force platforms are large, fixed and restricted to a laboratory environment. Therefore, a system for monitoring the human gait that is flexible, small-sized and can be installed in the actual sole of a shoe is desirable for many applications. We developed a portable, low-power consumption system to continuously monitor the forces involved. Experimental data were compared with simulated data using finite elements method (FEM). The results showed that the system was stable and adequate to application proposed. Results showed a linearity error of 1.25% on the vertical axis, revealing the smooth functioning of the system. Found deformations in the load cells were compared with the simulated model, showing a difference of 5.8% at most. This system might be helpful to monitor force measurement for the human gait.