Development of Sensory Unit Using Single IMU Sensor for Knee Joint Movement

People with paralysis due to neurological disorders such as stroke and SCI require scheduled rehabilitation exercise to regain muscle function and fitness. Most rehabilitation techniques involve some kind of devices or equipment that are dedicated to it. The sensory system is a key component in supporting the function of rehabilitation devices especially when it has elements of monitoring and control. IMU based systems that employ gyroscopes, accelerometer and magnetometer have a growing interest in measuring movement of body part during rehabilitation exercise. Thus, this study proposed the development of a wearable sensory unit using IMU to monitor the knee joint movement during sitting. The system used MPU9250 as a single sensing component to measure angular position and velocity of the knee. Based on the experimental work outcome, the system was proven to be efficient in performing the measurement of angular position and velocity and providing real time data logging for the purpose of data analysis and system control. Enhancement of this single used sensor to achieve the capabilities of two integrated sensors will be the aim for future work.