Gait Sensor

Like fingerprints, gait analysis has been used as a unique biometric identifier in security applications. Now, researchers are using it as a means of monitoring mood and health using remote sensors to measure tiny floor vibrations.

Earlier gait sensing systems required outfitting subjects with a wearable device or having them walk on special mats. The new approach exploits the fact that the entire structure of a building can pick up faint vibrations from people walking across a floor. Remote sensors are then used to detect footsteps.

The sensors are so sensitive that they can detect a person’s heartbeat when they sit in a chair three feet (one meter) away, and can monitor footsteps up to 60 feet (20 meters) away. Sensors are distributed throughout an area and automatically adjust sensitivity as the signals get stronger or weaker. Software algorithms utilize machine learning to distinguish individual patterns, and once “learned,” a person’s gait can be recognized in any setting.

Walking patterns can reveal a lot about a person’s well-being. For example, a change in balance could be indicative of a neurological condition, and provide caregivers with an early warning of the potential for falls.