Advancing In-Home Gait Monitoring: A Feasibility Study of Upper Limb Swing Analysis Using FMCW Radar

Gait alterations associated with health conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s underscore the critical need for early detection to enhance treatment and care outcomes. Presently, gait monitoring poses challenges due to its expense and complexity. Biomedical radars emerge as potential solutions, enabling vital sign estimation and gait pattern classification. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of the swinging motion of the upper limbs can further refine gait detection, offering improved in-home care for the elderly. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing a 2 GHz Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar for gait analysis, with a specific focus on upper limb swing parameters. Our research showcases the efficacy of FMCW radar in an indoor setting to extract arm swing parameters, presenting a pathway for cost-effective and efficient gait monitoring. These findings carry substantial promise for augmenting in-home care and support, particularly for elderly individuals.