Objective characterization of timed up and go test via sensorized mats

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is a widely recognized and standardized mobility test to measure basic mobility and balance capabilities. Despite the possibility to derive rich information about the patient, only the total time to complete the test is conventionally measured by a professional. This work examines the use of non-wearable sensors for the measurement of parameters of the test in an accurate and objective way. The study illustrates a system specifically designed for conducting the TUG test using a set of sensorized mats. The developed system is able to identify the following 4 phases of the test, with relative timestamps: TUG-time, Sit-to-Stand, Mid-Turning, and End-Turning-Stand-to-Sit. Additionally, meaningful parameters for gait assessment are also extracted: walking speed and stride length. Two experimental iterations were conducted to assess the reliability of the developed software. Both iterations involved two different groups of six healthy participants (41.58 ± 13.32 yrs; 6 females, 6 males) performing various walking types. Our results demonstrate that sensorized mats can be used to segment the phases of the test reliably and can additionally be used to quantify gait parameters during the walk phase of the test.