Method for estimating the movement of a pedestrian

A method for estimating the movement of a walking pedestrian, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

• (a) acquisition, by an inertial-measurement unit rigidly connected to a lower limb of said pedestrian and positioned in such a way as to have substantially a movement of rotation with respect to a distal end of the lower limb, wherein said distal end is a heel of a foot of said pedestrian, at least when said distal end of the lower limb is in contact with the ground, of an angular acceleration and of an angular velocity of the lower limb;
• (b) estimation, by a data-processor, of a speed of the lower limb according to said measured angular acceleration and said measured angular velocity;
• (c) determination, by the data-processor, of a time interval of said walking of the pedestrian during which said distal end of the lower limb is in contact with the ground according to the measured angular acceleration, the measured angular velocity, and a moment arm between the inertial-measurement unit and said distal end;
• (d) in said determined time interval:
• calculation, by the data-processor, of an expected speed of the lower limb according to said measured angular velocity and said moment arm;
• correction, by the data processor, of the estimated speed of the lower limb according to the expected speed;
• (e) estimation, by the data-processor, of the movement of the pedestrian according to the estimated speed of said lower limb.