Estimating Lower Limb Kinematics Using a Reduced Wearable Sensor Count

Goal: This paper presents an algorithm for accurately estimating pelvis, thigh, and shank kinematics during walking using only three wearable inertial sensors. Methods: The algorithm makes novel use of a constrained Kalman filter (CKF). The algorithm iterates through the prediction (kinematic equation), measurement (pelvis position pseudo-measurements, zero velocity update, flat-floor assumption, and covariance limiter), and constraint update (formulation of hinged knee joints and ball-and-socket hip joints). Results: Evaluation of the algorithm using an optical motion capture-based sensor-to-segment calibration on nine participants (7 men and 2 women, weight 63.0 +/- 6.8 kg, height 1.70 +/- 0.06 m, age 24.6 +/- 3.9 years old), with no known gait or lower body biomechanical abnormalities, who walked within a 4 x 4 m(2) capture area shows that it can track motion relative to the mid-pelvis origin with mean position and orientation (no bias) root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 5.21 +/- 1.3 cm and 16.1 +/- 3.2 degrees, respectively. The sagittal knee and hip joint angle RMSEs (no bias) were 10.0 +/- 2.9 degrees and 9.9 +/- 3.2 degrees, respectively, while the corresponding correlation coefficient (CC) values were 0.87 +/- 0.08 and 0.74 +/- 0.12. Conclusion: The CKF-based algorithm was able to track the 3D pose of the pelvis, thigh, and shanks using only three inertial sensors worn on the pelvis and shanks. Significance: Due to the Kalman-filter-based algorithm's low computation cost and the relative convenience of using only three wearable sensors, gait parameters can be computed in real-time and remotely for long-term gait monitoring. Furthermore, the system can be used to inform real-time gait assistive devices.