Sole Load Feature Extraction for Walking Environment Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for measuring the walking state do not accurately determine the walking environment, such as whether the location is level ground, due to limitations in the elements used for determination.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device that acquires load information from a load measurement device on the sole of a user and extracts feature amounts indicating the walking environment from time series data in at least one walking cycle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If three-dimensional angle information of knee and pressure information are used to measure walking state, then walking state can be measured, but walking environment cannot be accurately determined

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewalking environment determination accuracyVSAvoidwalking state measurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines load measurement device data with existing three-dimensional angle information and pressure information to comprehensively determine both walking state and walking environment. By merging multiple data sources including load time series data, angle information, and pressure information, the system achieves accurate determination of walking environment while maintaining reliable walking state measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The load measurement device serves multiple functions: it measures both walking state parameters and walking environment characteristics. The same device that captures load information for gait analysis also provides data for determining whether the user is on level ground, stairs, or slopes, eliminating the need for separate specialized sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If all walking data is stored for gait analysis, then complete analysis can be performed, but storage and communication needs increase and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegait analysis completenessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes unnecessary data from the system by identifying and excluding walking data collected in non-level ground environments (stairs, slopes). This extraction process eliminates data that is not suitable for standard gait analysis, reducing storage requirements and power consumption for data transmission while maintaining the reliability of analysis using only appropriate level ground data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system discards walking data collected in unsuitable environments (non-level ground) and recovers/retains only the valuable data collected on level ground for gait analysis. This selective discarding based on environment determination optimizes resource utilization by storing and processing only meaningful data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS12324659B2Information processing device, walking environment determination device, walking environment determination system, information processing method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.06.10 NEC CORP

AI summary

Provided is an information processing device including an acquisition unit configured to acquire load information based on a load applied to a load measurement device from a sole of a user and a feature amount extracting unit configured to extract a feature amount indicating a walking environment from time series data in at least one walking cycle included in the load information.