Method and apparatus for gait measurement
US5511571A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 5, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01G19/52
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for gait measurement in which a walking aid such as a walker, cane, or crutch is instrumented with load sensors to measure the loads in the aid as it is being used. The measured loads are used to analyze the user's gait to insure proper selection and sizing of a walking aid, stability of the user, and proper limb loading. In a preferred embodiment, strain gauges are mounted on the legs of a walker and connected through a signal processing interface to a computer for data analysis and display. The gauges are mounted, calibrated, and connected to the signal processing interface so as to permit measurement of the axial, bending, and torsional forces in each leg of the walker as it is being used. This data is then used for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the user's gait.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.