An Algorithm for Estimating Gait Parameters Through a Commercial Sensorized Carpet

Falls may have serious consequences in the elderly and are of great concern to the health care systems given the progressive population aging. Fall likelihood may be estimated through Gait Analysis (GA) and corrective actions might be undertaken on subjects exposed to the risk. Devices for GA, providing precise and objective measurements, are available, but either their management is complex or they are overly costly for a widespread adoption. Thus, risk assessment is often accomplished on the basis of a specialist's subjective judgment. This paper illustrates our attempt at implementing a GA platform exploiting a sensorized carpet that is already a commercial product in Europe.