Wearable Gait Analysis – stepping towards the mainstream

Wearable technologies have transformed the accessibility of gait analysis, offering the opportunity to venture outside of the laboratory and into everyday life. This research article is concerned with investigating the progress that has been made, and the steps that remain in gait analysis becoming a main- stream activity. The evidence for the effectiveness of wearable gait analysis technologies was reviewed, indicating that these devices are capable of support- ing gait analysis in a ‘real-world’ environment. Research into the application of wearable technology for gait analysis was found to limited in terms of scope, with progress still to be made in improving the perception of these devices. Challenges to be addressed within this field of research were identified: (1) Large scale data collection; (2) Broader scope of wearable gait analysis; (3) ‘Real-world’ gait analysis; (4) Case study research approach (5) Gait analysis as a service; (6) User testing/evaluation.
The development of wearable gait analysis systems, and the underlying re- search that supports their application, should be cognizant of how mainstream acceptance is contingent upon meeting these challenges. The path towards ad- dressing them is considered in the context of the eZiGait portable gait analysis system, highlighting the value of collaboration with industry.