Development of a force platform system for standing and walking analysis of canines

A force platform system was developed for detection of weight applied to each paw of canines in standing and walking positions. This system consists of a force sensing system, a data collection system and a data processing system. The force sensing system composes of 144 force sensing resistors placed on 12×12 cm² active sensing area. The force platform system was calibrated and tested using 29 different sizes of standard weight varied from 40 g to 3000 g by placing each weight on each force sensing resistor. The data was then collected and a calibration curve was plotted. The calibration curve was then fitted using 5 equations with less than 5% error. This system can detect 50 sets of data in one second which will be fast enough for walking analysis. The results from the standard weight testing shows that this system can detect the total weight with less than 3% error. The result from the preliminary animal tests using 4 canines with abnormal hindlimb shows the weight distribution of each paw of the canines. The ratio of the weight applied to the forelimbs to the weight applied to the hindlimbs and the ratio of the weight applied to the left limbs to the weight applied to the right limbs were calculated. The results from all 4 canines indicate imbalance standing of all 4 canines which agrees with the canines´ medical conditions.