Walking State Determination Using Dual Sensor Stick and Body Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to accurately determine the walking state of individuals using sticks, as they only analyze floor reaction force and foot-landing positions, lacking the ability to differentiate between stick and foot movements.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising first and second sensors installed at the stick and the individual, respectively, to acquire feature information about the motion, which is then used to determine the walking state through a walking state determination device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only floor reaction force and foot-landing position are analyzed, then the measurement system remains simple, but the walking state cannot be accurately determined when a stick is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement system into multiple independent sensor units: a first sensor attached to the stick and a second sensor attached to the target person's body. This segmentation allows each sensor to capture specific motion characteristics independently, which are then integrated to achieve accurate walking state determination without requiring a single complex measurement system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional measurement system where sensors serve multiple purposes: the first sensor on the stick captures stick motion characteristics, the second sensor on the body captures body motion characteristics, and together they determine both foot-landing position and walking state. This universal approach allows the system to handle both stick-assisted and non-stick walking scenarios with the same framework.
2Measurement precision
If a sensor is installed at the stick to capture motion characteristics, then the ability to determine walking state improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the stick as an intermediary object that bridges the measurement gap between the ground and the body. By attaching a sensor to the stick, the system captures motion characteristics at an intermediate point that reflects both ground interaction and body movement, enabling accurate walking state determination without direct ground sensors or complex body-mounted instrumented shoes.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is to determine a walking state when a target person uses a stick. A walking state determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an acquisition unit that acquires feature information indicating a feature of a motion of a target person when using a stick, based on first measurement data acquired from a first sensor installed at the stick and second measurement data acquired from a second sensor installed at the target person; and a determination unit that determines a walking state of the target person, based on the acquired feature information.