A Smartphone-based Balance Assessment System for Vestibular Hypofunction

Patients with vestibular hypofunction may experience dizziness and balance deficiency. The influences increase the incidence of falls and reduce the quality of life, which emphasizes the importance of balance evaluation. Instrumented balance assessments such as the Romberg test and the Tandem Gait test using inertial measurement units (IMUs) provide quantitative approaches for clinicians to address subjective problems. However, examiners can face challenges with insufficient efficiency in separately collecting and analyzing motion data from IMUs. It is critical to develop a reliable system for IMU-based balance assessment. The study establishes a system that integrates the acquisition devices (IMUs) and the analysis engine to offer frictionless evaluation. The benefit can be realized by leveraging wireless communication technology. The system aims to sharpen operational efficiency and enhance the quality of medical care for clinicians in conducting instrumented balance tests utilizing IMUs in the future clinic setting.