Automatic force plate contact detection protocol for computerized gait analysis

Background: The usability and evaluability of a computerized gait analysis requires correct force plate foot contact, with the force measuring plates embedded in the ground, in order to obtain kinetic data.

Research question: This article describes a technical development that facilitates the process flow of computerized gait analysis. Software has been developed that automatically recognizes, counts and documents the correct force plate foot contacts METHODS: A software program has been developed. Programming was done in Microsoft® C# using the ViconDatastreemSDK.dotNet® Dynamic Link Library (DLL) developed by Vicon®. The program queries the positions of the foot markers and the electrical signals of the force plates.

Results and significance: The program, which runs parallel to the Vicon® data acquisition software, simultaneously displays the information about the correct force plate foot contacts in a graphical user interface (GUI). After the measurement, an automatically generated protocol of the evaluable walks is available in tabular form.