Gait Analysis

Our Task:

The purpose of the Gait Analysis Project was to find a relationship between someone’s gait and a trait of the person being analyzed. Trying to determine a trait of someone based off of the data collected, from someone's gait. For some context, gait is the way someone walks and it is different from person to person. By using the physics toolbox app on a phone, we were able to take data to analyze the way each member of our group walks. We made data tables, graphs, and found our equation to determine one trait of someone. We tested our equation for accuracy by using the ranges from our peers as well. We started this project by learning about what gait is, watching videos about it, and answering questions to introduce us to the topic. From there we began our project and taking data. After this we drew our conclusions from our findings and data. Lastly, we made our report and presentation.

Evidence of Work

Our Analysis report and presentation are below. Including our data, graphs, and equation. Presentation (left) and Report (right).

Content:

Gait: A gait is a pattern of limb movements made during locomotion. Human gaits are the various ways in which a human can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training.

Acceleration: Rate of change of velocity. We used a phone app to measure acceleration and then created graphs to compare our subjects data.

Accelerometer: A device that detects acceleration and tilt. We used the accelerometer in our app measuring.

G-force: A g-force is a measure of acceleration

G-force Meter: A g-Force meter is able to measure the ratio of normal force to gravitational force, in three dimensions.

X Direction: Lateral axis measuring movement from right to left.

Y Direction: Vertical axis measuring movement up and down.

Z Direction: Axis measuring movement forwards and backwards.

Velocity: The speed of something that is going in one direction. How fast our subjects walked.

Margin Of Error: an amount (usually small) that is allowed for in case of miscalculation or change of circumstances.

Dynamicity: In terms of gait analysis, the quantification of variations in kinematic or kinetic parameters within a step.

Extrapolation: the action of estimating or concluding something by assuming that existing trends will continue or a current method will remain applicable.

Metric: A quantitative indicator of a characteristic or attribute.

Model: In technology, a description of observed or predicted behavior of some system, simplified by ignoring certain details. Models allow complex systems to be understood and their behavior predicted.

Symmetry: In terms of gait analysis, the quantification of differences between left-foot and right-foot steps.

Variability: In terms of gait analysis, the quantification of fluctuations from one stride to the next.