Comparison of camera based and inertial measurement unit based motion analysis

Abstract

Camera-based 3D motion analyzers are widely used to analyze body movements and gait, but they are expensive and require a large dedicated space. This study investigated whether inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based systems can replace such systems by analyzing kinematic measurement parameters. IMUs were attached to the abdomen and thigh and the shank and foot of both legs. The participant completed a 10 m-gait course 10 times and the hips, knees, and ankle joints were observed from the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes during each gait cycle. The experiments were conducted with both a camera-based system and an IMU-based system. The measured gait analysis data were evaluated for validity and reliability using RMSE. In this regard, the differences between the RMSE values of the two systems determined through kinematic parameters ranged from a minimum of 1.39 to a maximum of 3.86. These results confirm that IMU-based systems can reliably replace camera-based systems for clinical body motion analysis and gait analysis.