Towards quantitative functional balance ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING (EQUIMETRIX project)

Given the impact of falls on individual and public health, and the fact that some fall can be prevented, great efforts have been made to identify people at risk and to implement strategies to prevent falls. It appears there is a significant interaction between risk factors and an individual’s level of function (Cameron2010). In 2010 the American Geriatrics Society published an update (NGC2010) of the former clinical guidelines (AGS2001) which still specify all older adults be screened annually for falls by a health care provider, but now has expanded to include screening for balance and mobility impairments.
From these statements it is clear that balance assessment is crucial. Equimetrix technology is an instrumental equipment developed by TECNALIA, providing functional balance assessment and training for fall prevention, filling the current gap between functional clinical tests and quantitative instrumental measurements. It comprises sensing technologies, biomechanical features, methods for quantification of the instantaneous stability conditions of the user, and feedback for training purposes. The technology measures the relative 3D position of Centre of Mass (CoM) and Base of Support (BoS), and the relative 3D position of CoM and Centre of Pressure (COP) of humans. It computes a Stability Index based on features extracted from CoM and BoS/CoP relative positions. Once the user balance is quantified, Equimetrix technology is also used to provide training exercises.