Analog or digital cameras are the mostly commonly used devices. Other types of optic sensors such as laser range scanners (LRS), infrared sensors and Time-of-Flight (ToF) cameras are also used. There are two systems within this category: with and without markers. The FS systems are based on sensors located along the floor on the so called ��force platforms�� where the gait information is measured through pressure sensors and ground reaction force sensors (GRF) which measure the force exerted by the subject’s feet on the floor when he/she walks.The WS systems use sensors located on several parts of the body, such as feet, knees, thighs or waist. Different types of sensors are used to capture the various signals that characterise the human gait.
These include accelerometers, gyroscopic sensors, magnetometers, force sensors, extensometers, goniometers, active markers, electromyography, etc.The main purpose of this paper is to review the latest advances in technologies and methods used to analyse the human gait, with particular emphasis in the field of medicine. Section 2 is divided into two subsections: (1) a description of the parameters that characterize the human gait and (2) a review of the semi-subjective techniques traditionally used in clinics. Section 3 offers a review of the objective techniques and methods that use sensors to measure the parameters of the human gait, showing the results of the most recent research. Section 4 includes a discussion and comparison of the latest advances and describes future research areas and lastly, Section 5 presents our conclusions.
2.?Background to Gait Parameters2.1. Parameters of Interest for the Human GaitResearch on the human gait comprises the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the various factors that characterize it. Depending on the field of research, the factors of interest vary (see Table 1). For instance, for security purposes, interest may centre on distinguishing and identifying Entinostat persons based on a general characterization of their silhouette and the movements between the subject’s different body segments when walking [11]. However, in the field of sports, research may centre on analysis of the different forces exerted on each muscle through EMG [12].
From the clinical point of view, the importance of human gait analysis lies in the fact that gait disorders affect a high percentage of the world’s population and are key problems in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, as well as in many others such as myelopathies, spinal amyotrophy, cerebellar ataxia, brain tumours, craneoencephalic trauma, neuromuscular diseases (myopathies), cerebrovascular pathologies, certain types of dementia, heart disease or physiological ageing.