“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research
(1) Background: This study compared manually-counted treadmill walking steps from the hip-worn DigiwalkerSW200 and OmronHJ720ITC, and hip and wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ and GT9X; determined brand-specific acceleration amplitude (g) and/or frequency (Hz) step-detection thresholds; and quantified key...
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doaj-fdc311b155a046648ba49df61c2cf2d52020-11-24T22:13:25ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202018-04-01184120610.3390/s18041206s18041206“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity ResearchDinesh John0Alvin Morton1Diego Arguello2Kate Lyden3David Bassett4Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USADepartment of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USAKAL Research/Consulting, Denver, CO 80206, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA(1) Background: This study compared manually-counted treadmill walking steps from the hip-worn DigiwalkerSW200 and OmronHJ720ITC, and hip and wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ and GT9X; determined brand-specific acceleration amplitude (g) and/or frequency (Hz) step-detection thresholds; and quantified key features of the acceleration signal during walking. (2) Methods: Twenty participants (Age: 26.7 ± 4.9 years) performed treadmill walking between 0.89-to-1.79 m/s (2–4 mph) while wearing a hip-worn DigiwalkerSW200, OmronHJ720ITC, GT3X+ and GT9X, and a wrist-worn GT3X+ and GT9X. A DigiwalkerSW200 and OmronHJ720ITC underwent shaker testing to determine device-specific frequency and amplitude step-detection thresholds. Simulated signal testing was used to determine thresholds for the ActiGraph step algorithm. Steps during human testing were compared using bias and confidence intervals. (3) Results: The OmronHJ720ITC was most accurate during treadmill walking. Hip and wrist-worn ActiGraph outputs were significantly different from the criterion. The DigiwalkerSW200 records steps for movements with a total acceleration of ≥1.21 g. The OmronHJ720ITC detects a step when movement has an acceleration ≥0.10 g with a dominant frequency of ≥1 Hz. The step-threshold for the ActiLife algorithm is variable based on signal frequency. Acceleration signals at the hip and wrist have distinctive patterns during treadmill walking. (4) Conclusions: Three common research-grade physical activity monitors employ different step-detection strategies, which causes variability in step output.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/18/4/1206Step-detectionActiGraphPedometeraccelerationphysical activity |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Dinesh John Alvin Morton Diego Arguello Kate Lyden David Bassett |
spellingShingle |
Dinesh John Alvin Morton Diego Arguello Kate Lyden David Bassett “What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research Sensors Step-detection ActiGraph Pedometer acceleration physical activity |
author_facet |
Dinesh John Alvin Morton Diego Arguello Kate Lyden David Bassett |
author_sort |
Dinesh John |
title |
“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research |
title_short |
“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research |
title_full |
“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research |
title_fullStr |
“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research |
title_full_unstemmed |
“What Is a Step?” Differences in How a Step Is Detected among Three Popular Activity Monitors That Have Impacted Physical Activity Research |
title_sort |
“what is a step?” differences in how a step is detected among three popular activity monitors that have impacted physical activity research |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sensors |
issn |
1424-8220 |
publishDate |
2018-04-01 |
description |
(1) Background: This study compared manually-counted treadmill walking steps from the hip-worn DigiwalkerSW200 and OmronHJ720ITC, and hip and wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ and GT9X; determined brand-specific acceleration amplitude (g) and/or frequency (Hz) step-detection thresholds; and quantified key features of the acceleration signal during walking. (2) Methods: Twenty participants (Age: 26.7 ± 4.9 years) performed treadmill walking between 0.89-to-1.79 m/s (2–4 mph) while wearing a hip-worn DigiwalkerSW200, OmronHJ720ITC, GT3X+ and GT9X, and a wrist-worn GT3X+ and GT9X. A DigiwalkerSW200 and OmronHJ720ITC underwent shaker testing to determine device-specific frequency and amplitude step-detection thresholds. Simulated signal testing was used to determine thresholds for the ActiGraph step algorithm. Steps during human testing were compared using bias and confidence intervals. (3) Results: The OmronHJ720ITC was most accurate during treadmill walking. Hip and wrist-worn ActiGraph outputs were significantly different from the criterion. The DigiwalkerSW200 records steps for movements with a total acceleration of ≥1.21 g. The OmronHJ720ITC detects a step when movement has an acceleration ≥0.10 g with a dominant frequency of ≥1 Hz. The step-threshold for the ActiLife algorithm is variable based on signal frequency. Acceleration signals at the hip and wrist have distinctive patterns during treadmill walking. (4) Conclusions: Three common research-grade physical activity monitors employ different step-detection strategies, which causes variability in step output. |
topic |
Step-detection ActiGraph Pedometer acceleration physical activity |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/18/4/1206 |
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