Implementation of a smartphone for evaluating gait characteristics of a trans-tibial prosthesis

Smartphone applications have been demonstrated for their capacity to measure gait in functionally autonomous environments beyond the limitations of a traditional gait laboratory. A software application enables the iPhone to function as a wireless accelerometer platform. The recorded acceleration of gait can be transmitted wirelessly as an email attachment through Internet connectivity. The objective of the research was to demonstrate the capacity of the smartphone to quantify gait features of a trans-tibial prosthesis. The iPhone a standard smartphone was mounted to the carbon fiber blade of the prosthesis through an adapter developed by a 3D printer. The application demonstrated considerable accuracy and reliability for the quantification of gait characteristics.