Evaluating walkability across age groups and flooring materials using IMU sensors

Bibliographic Data

ID22080260
AuthorsDaehwi Jo (Dankook University), Hyunsoo Kim (0000-0002-9892-1080, Dankook University, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume12
Pages1509602-1509602
Publication date2024-12-05
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2024.1509602
PMID39703485
OpenAlexW4405064155
LanguageEN
References cited47

This study presents a novel approach to quantitatively assess the impact of flooring materials on walkability using Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm. Four common pavement materials (wood, asphalt, concrete block, and cement) were evaluated across five age groups (20–30, 30–40, 40–50, 50–60, and over 60 years) with 80 participants walking 1,200 m on each surface. IMU sensors attached to the lumbar region recorded acceleration and gyroscope data, which were then analyzed using DTW to quantify gait stability. Results showed significant differences in DTW values among materials, with wood exhibiting the lowest average DTW value (12.99 ± 3.05) indicating the most stable walking environment, while cement showed the highest (39.14 ± 9.74). In addition, age-related analysis revealed increasing DTW values with age across all materials, with the most pronounced effect in the older adult group. The methodology presented offers sensor-based approach for evaluating and optimizing pedestrian infrastructure in smart city development

Built environment · Environmental health · Human–computer interaction · Inertial measurement unit · Level design · Physical activity · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Walkability · Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention · Computer Science · Engineering · Injury Epidemiology and Prevention · Medicine · Urban Transport and Accessibility · Artificial Intelligence

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