The newly established UBC Balance and Falls Research Centre marks an exciting start to 2025 with its first publication! The work stems from a successful collaboration between Dr. Jean-Sébastien Blouin (Sensorimotor Physiology Lab), Dr. Mark Carpenter (Neural Control of Movement and Posture Lab), and Dr. Calvin Kuo (Human Motion Biomechanics Lab), with graduate students Liam Foulger and Emma Reiter leading the project
The study validates an innovative method for estimating motion of the whole-body center of mass during standing balance using wearable sensors (inertial measurement units, IMUs). Using just four sensors strategically placed on the back, thigh, and both lower legs, the research team developed an algorithm to accurately estimate body sway during quiet standing.
While traditional balance assessment is confined to specialized laboratory equipment like motion capture systems and force plates, this new low-cost approach brings high-quality measurements into real-world settings. Such estimates of balance motion open the door to monitoring of patients with standing balance deficits in their natural environments where balance challenges occur.
To promote accessibility and advance balance research, the algorithm underlying these analyses is freely available to the scientific community. The open-source solution will enable researchers and clinicians to implement this novel balance assessment method, ultimately contributing to the development of more effective fall prevention strategies.
Want to learn more? Read the full paper in PLOS One.
