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A Comparative Study of a Real-Time Ankle Mobility Monitoring Wearable System
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Betsy Dayana Marcela Chaparro Rico ,
Matteo Russo ,
Marco Ceccarelli ,
Daniele Cafolla
Robotics, Volume: 15, Issue: 4, Start page: 76
Swansea University Authors:
Betsy Dayana Marcela Chaparro Rico , Daniele Cafolla
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© 2026 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
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DOI (Published version): 10.3390/robotics15040076
Abstract
This paper presents a low-cost, lightweight wearable sensing module for real-time multi-degree-of-freedom motion analysis, which is validated using ankle movements from a representative case study. The system is based on a compact inertial measurement unit integrated into a custom-made enclosure and...
| Published in: | Robotics |
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| ISSN: | 2218-6581 |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2026
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71757 |
| Abstract: |
This paper presents a low-cost, lightweight wearable sensing module for real-time multi-degree-of-freedom motion analysis, which is validated using ankle movements from a representative case study. The system is based on a compact inertial measurement unit integrated into a custom-made enclosure and employs Kalman filter-based sensor fusion to estimate three-dimensional joint orientation. An experimental campaign involving sixteen healthy participants was conducted, and measurements were compared against a gold-standard optical motion capture system, Optitrack V120 Trio. Ankle kinematics were analysed across all anatomical planes, including dorsiflexion/plantarflexion, inversion/eversion, and adduction/abduction. Quantitative metrics, including cosine similarity consistently above 0.98 across all movements and root mean square error within 4° on average, demonstrate strong agreement between the angular measuring device and motion capture data, with errors remaining within clinically acceptable limits. The results confirm the feasibility of the proposed system as a reliable, portable, and affordable alternative to laboratory-based measurement technologies. Beyond ankle assessment, the sensing approach is applicable to a wide range of motion-assistive and rehabilitation systems, supporting continuous monitoring, personalised therapy, and future integration into intelligent wearable devices. |
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| Keywords: |
service robotics; experimental biomechanics; motion monitoring; inertial sensor; motion capture system; motion assistance; wearable sensors |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Issue: |
4 |
| Start Page: |
76 |