A neural network algorithm for detection of heel strike and heel off

events using inertial sensors to trigger a drop foot stimulator

Pablo E. Aqueveque, D. Sc., Member, IEEE, Britam A. Gmez, Francisco A. Saavedra and, Enrique Germany.

AbstractThis paper presents the implementation of an use to trigger the stimulation pulse. For these reasons, a low-
algorithm based on dynamic artificial neural networks and pass filter was applied to the output signal and then, it was
inertial sensors to detect the events of heel off and heel strike to compared with a fixed threshold to obtain a binary signal like
trigger the stimulation pulses of a drop foot stimulator. Six the mechanical switch sensor.
neural networks were trained for different inputs: hip angle,
knee angle, ankle angle, and angular accelerations and velocities IV. RESULTS
of the thigh, leg and foot. The algorithm implemented with the The results obtained after evaluating each ANN with all the
input of accelerations and angular velocities of the leg gives the
inputs are shown in Table I. The output obtained with the
best results, predicting the 100% of the events of interest (heel
strike and heel off) with a maximum response time of 280 ms. acceleration and angular velocities of the leg gives the best
performance. Figure 1 shows a comparison between this
I. INTRODUCTION output and the mechanical switch signal. used for training the
One of the most common gait pattern abnormalities after ANN.
Stroke is drop foot. Drop Foot is a disorder characterized by a
TABLE I. RESULTS OF DIFFERENT INPUT OPTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED
lack of voluntary control of dorsiflexor muscles. Liberson in ALGORITHM.
1961 proposed the use of Functional Electrical Stimulation
(FES) to correct drop foot [1]. Using a pressure step sensor Input of the Algorithm Correlation Mean squared error
placed in the shoe under the heel the stimulation pulses are Angle of the hip 0.14 0.238
triggered with the gait events (heel off and heel strike). Angle of the knee 0.43 0.194
The most common pressure step sensor used is a Force Angle of the ankle 0.34 0.209
Sensitive Resistor (FSR). FSR sensors are simple and require Inertial data of the thigh 0.85 0.060
little data processing, but these step sensors present some Inertial data of the leg 0.89 0.032
disadvantages [2], such as: Inertial data of the foot 0.81 0.066
Degradation of the resistor material properties and solder
joint breakage.
Detection problems of the heel off due to a poor
positioning of the sensor under the shoe insole.
In this work, we present an algorithm based on artificial
neural networks (ANN) to detect and predict the heel strike
and heel off without a pressure step sensor. The algorithm uses
the signals obtained from inertial sensors to be used as a trigger
method for drop foot stimulators.
Figure 1.- Comparison between the output of the proposed algorithm with
II. MEASUREMENT PROTOCOL the chosen input (acceleration and angular velocity of the leg) and the output
of the mechanical switch. used for training the ANN.
We used three inertial measurement units (IMU) placed
on each segment of the leg (hip, leg, and foot) and a step sensor V. CONCLUSION
(mechanical switch) was placed on the heel of each subject to
train the ANN. Each IMU has a 3-axis accelerometer and 3- The proposed prediction algorithm delivered good results
axis gyroscope. with the inertial data of the leg as inputs. It predicts the 100%
We measured 4 women and 6 men, from 16 to 60 years events of interest (heel srtike and heel off) with a maximum
old, two of them had drop foot caused by stroke. delay time of response of 280 ms with respect to the
The subjects walked in a straight line on an unobstructed mechanical switch signal tested in a subject with drop foot.
surface without slope at 3 different gait cadence for 30 The above indicates that the system can be applied in real time
seconds. to trigger the stimulator.
III. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEURAL NETWORK REFERENCES
Six dynamic ANNs were trained. Three receive the angles [1] W. T. Liberson, H. J. Holmquest, D. Scott, and M. Dow, Functional
Electrotherapy in stimulation of the peroneal nerve synchronized with
of each joint in sagittal plane as inputs, and three receive the the swing phase of gait in hemiparetic patients, Arch. Phys. Med.
inertial sensors data of each leg segment (acceleration and Rehabil. vol. 42, 1961, pp. 101105.
angular velocity). [2] B. T. Smith, D. J. Coiro, R. Finson, R. R. Betz, and J. McCarthy
The output of the ANNs predicts correctly the heel off and Evaluation of Force-Sensing Resistors for Gait Event Detection to
Trigger Electrical Stimulation to Improve Walking in the Child With
the heel strike events, but it is noisy and difficult to Cerebral Palsy IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and
Rehabilitation Engineering, Vol. 10, No. 1, March 2002, pp 22-29.