Assessing gait of humans in their natural living environment; an ecological mobility perspective

背景资料：我的研究重点是开发系统（硬件和软件）更适合使用惯性测量单元（伊穆斯）在自然生活环境中评估步态。目的：长期目标是提供一个完全自主的系统，以捕捉步态的数量和质量，在生态环境中使用齿轮和运动学结果的措施，专门适应这种环境。 未来五年的短期目标（STO）将旨在评估在生态流动性期间由惯性运动捕获系统测量的可用时空步态参数的准确性，以及设计和测试新结果措施的性能，以评估步态和转弯质量，特别是适应这种生态流动性。研究方法：STO #1：健康的参与者将在他们的头部，躯干，下背部以及大腿，小腿和脚踝上配备惯性传感器。一个36摄像头的VICON系统将被用作黄金标准。其标记将被定位在两个下肢（大腿、膝盖、胫骨、脚踝和第二脚趾的基部）、髂骨（前部和后部）和骨盆上，以实现步态运动学评估。参与者将被要求在模拟公寓中自由移动五分钟，以拾取物体并将其带到特定位置，迫使他们执行不同的步态模式。来自两个系统的数据将进行比较，看看它们在时间和空间上的表现。STO #2：我们将使用上述实验中提供的原始惯性信号和方向数据来调整或创建创新的步态结果测量，这些数据将专门适用于生态流动性评估。STO #3：研究时间和任务顺序对STO #2中开发的新步态结局指标的影响。配备惯性和VICON传感器的参与者将在STO #1中描述的模拟公寓中自由导航，以测试STO #2中开发的新型步态结果测量的有效性和准确性。本研究的影响：拟议的研究计划将在多个方面提供;短期影响将是提供专门为生态流动性设计的步态运动学结果措施。长期影响是提供一个完全自主的系统，使用惯性传感器来捕获生态环境中人类移动的数量和质量。高素质人员（HQP）培训：我的研究计划将提供充足的机会，HQP培训在这个新兴的研究领域，通过获得坚实的研究基础设施，在一个高度积极的实验室环境。HQP将可以访问我位于蒙特利尔老年研究所的实验室，这是一个世界知名的研究机构，以及我在UQAM的运动学实验室。他们将有机会获得最先进的运动捕捉设备，我通过两个加拿大创新基金会（CFI）赠款获得。

Background: My research focuses on developing systems (both hardware and software) more suited to assess gait in the natural living environment using Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). Objectives: The long-term objective is to provide a fully autonomous system to capture the quantity and quality of gait in an ecological setting using gear and kinematic outcome measures specifically adapted to such environment.  Short-term objectives (STOs), for the next five years, will aim to assess the accuracy of available spatiotemporal gait parameters measured by an inertial motion capture system during ecological mobility, as well a design and test the performance of novel outcome measures to assess gait and turn quality that are specifically adapted for such ecological mobility. Methods: STO #1: healthy participants will be equipped with inertial sensors on their head, trunk, lower back, as well as both their thighs, shanks and ankles. A 36-camera VICON system will be used as the gold standard. Its markers will be positioned on both lower limbs (thighs, knees, tibias, ankles and base of the second toes), on the iliac (anterior and posterior), and on the pelvis to enable gait kinematics assessment. Participants will be asked to move freely for periods of five minutes in a simulated apartment to pickup objects and carrying them to specific location, forcing them to perform different gait patterns. Data from both systems will be compared and see how they behave in time and space. STO #2: we will adapt or create innovative gait outcome measures using raw inertial signals and orientation data available from the above experiment that will be specifically adapted to ecological mobility assessment. STO #3: investigate the impact of time and task sequence on the new novel gait outcome measures developed in STO #2. Participants equipped with both inertial and VICON sensors will navigate freely in the simulated apartment described in STO #1, so as to test the validity and accuracy of the novel gait outcome measures developed in STO #2. Impact of this research: The proposed research program will deliver on multiple fronts; the short-term impact will be to provide gait kinematic outcome measures specifically designed for ecological mobility. The long-term impact is to provide a fully autonomous system using inertial sensors to capture the quantity and quality of human mobility in an ecological setting. Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Training: My research program will provide ample opportunities to HQPs to train in this emerging field of research by getting access to solid research infrastructures in a highly motivated lab environment. HQPs will have access to my laboratories located at the Montreal Geriatric Institute, a world-renowned research facility, as well as my kinematics lab at UQAM. They will have access to state-of-the-art motion capture equipment I obtained through two Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grants.