Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability
Measurement of the displacement of the center-of-pressure (COP) is an important tool used in biomechanics to assess postural stability and human balance. The goal of this research was to design and validate a low-cost portable device that can offer a quick indication of the state of postural stabili...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/3/619 |
| _version_ | 1818001462813261824 |
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| author | Yong Zhu |
| author_facet | Yong Zhu |
| author_sort | Yong Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Measurement of the displacement of the center-of-pressure (COP) is an important tool used in biomechanics to assess postural stability and human balance. The goal of this research was to design and validate a low-cost portable device that can offer a quick indication of the state of postural stability and human balance related conditions. Approximate entropy (ApEn) values reflecting the amount of irregularity hiding in COP oscillations were used to calculate the index. The prototype adopted a portable design using the measurements of the load cells located at the four corners of a low-cost force platform. The test subject was asked to stand on the device in a quiet, normal, upright stance for 30 s with eyes open and subsequently for 30 s with eyes closed. Based on the COP displacement signals, the ApEn values were calculated. The results indicated that the prototype device was capable of capturing the increase in regularity of postural control in the visual-deprivation conditions. It was also able to decipher the subtle postural control differences along anterior–posterior and medial–lateral directions. The data analysis demonstrated that the prototype would enable the quantification of postural stability and thus provide a low-cost portable device to assess many conditions related to postural stability and human balance such as aging and pathologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:34:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c3719738eec42668df2d494224791d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:34:31Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c3719738eec42668df2d494224791d02022-12-22T02:14:50ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202017-03-0117361910.3390/s17030619s17030619Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural StabilityYong Zhu0Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, USAMeasurement of the displacement of the center-of-pressure (COP) is an important tool used in biomechanics to assess postural stability and human balance. The goal of this research was to design and validate a low-cost portable device that can offer a quick indication of the state of postural stability and human balance related conditions. Approximate entropy (ApEn) values reflecting the amount of irregularity hiding in COP oscillations were used to calculate the index. The prototype adopted a portable design using the measurements of the load cells located at the four corners of a low-cost force platform. The test subject was asked to stand on the device in a quiet, normal, upright stance for 30 s with eyes open and subsequently for 30 s with eyes closed. Based on the COP displacement signals, the ApEn values were calculated. The results indicated that the prototype device was capable of capturing the increase in regularity of postural control in the visual-deprivation conditions. It was also able to decipher the subtle postural control differences along anterior–posterior and medial–lateral directions. The data analysis demonstrated that the prototype would enable the quantification of postural stability and thus provide a low-cost portable device to assess many conditions related to postural stability and human balance such as aging and pathologies.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/3/619human balancepostural stabilityapproximate entropy (ApEn)center-of-pressure (COP)portable devicelow-cost assessment device |
| spellingShingle | Yong Zhu Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability Sensors human balance postural stability approximate entropy (ApEn) center-of-pressure (COP) portable device low-cost assessment device |
| title | Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability |
| title_full | Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability |
| title_fullStr | Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability |
| title_short | Design and Validation of a Low-Cost Portable Device to Quantify Postural Stability |
| title_sort | design and validation of a low cost portable device to quantify postural stability |
| topic | human balance postural stability approximate entropy (ApEn) center-of-pressure (COP) portable device low-cost assessment device |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/3/619 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yongzhu designandvalidationofalowcostportabledevicetoquantifyposturalstability |