Foot Prosthesis: Estimation of Gait Phases using Gyroscope and Potentiometer

Abstract

Foot movement during walking, jogging, running, jumping, skidding, and climbing etc. is an important emphasis in lower limb prosthesis. This work presents the estimation of gait phases of walking persons on flat terrain. Different phases of swing and stance of foot gait cycle have been considered with sensing unit consisting of gyroscope and potentiometer. Arduino microcontroller has been incorporated to process the values received from the sensing unit using rule based algorithm. Sensor values are processed using ‘Extra Putty’ software and the results are observed at serial monitor. This project has been tested on a person and real time gait phases have been drawn. Gait phases of forward and reverse walk have been successfully identified. The work is useful to identify the balanced/unbalanced state of persons during normal walk.