System and method for adapting auditory biofeedback cues and gait analysis using wireless signals and digital responses

A method for adapting auditory biofeedback cues to adjust a user's gait, wherein the user is equipped with a system for creating a sensory output from the user's physical movements wherein the system includes a first sensor configured to be located on or proximate to a heel of a first foot of the user and a second sensor configured to be located on or proximate to a toe of the first foot of the user, wherein each of the first and second sensors is adapted to detect the user's movement and generate respective movement data in real-time, wherein the respective movement data includes one or both of pressure wave data and acceleration curve data;

• a radio transceiver unit having a transceiver and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is coupled to each of the first and second sensors and is programmed with an event onset detection algorithm wherein the microprocessor is operable to detect an event onset of a respective pressure peak in the generated respective movement data, convert the respective movement data into a respective discrete digital pulse having a pulse width and transmit each respective digital pulse as a respective first signal;
• a receiver configured to receive each transmitted respective first signal;
• and a computing device including a processor programmed with a gait analytic algorithm configured to convert each respective first signal to a respective second signal, the method comprising:
• a) receiving, at the microprocessor, a series of respective first signals for each of the first and second sensors;
• b) converting, via the microprocessor, the series of respective first signals into a series of respective second signals;
• c) quantizing, via the microprocessor, each respective second signal within the series of respective second signals;
• d) calibrating, via the processor, the sensitivity of the audio biofeedback cue whereby a note length of the audio biofeedback cue is determined as a function of the pulse width of the digital pulse of the corresponding respective first signal,
• e) calibrating, via the processor, the sensitivity of one or both of the first and second sensors such that the gait analytic algorithm sets full weight-bearing pressure as 100% applied force;
• f) calculating, via the processor, each respective second signal as a percent weight bearing force as a function of the pressure applied to the respective sensor relative to the 100% applied force;
• g) adapting, via the processor, one or both of a volume and a pitch of the audio biofeedback cue as a function of percent weight bearing force;
• h) modifying, via the processor, the timing of each respective second signal to a pre-selected temporal or musical grid so that each respective second signal manifests as a respective real-time Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) audio biofeedback cue;
• i) analyzing, via the processor, the user's gait as a function of the audio biofeedback cues;
• j) analyzing, via the processor, a patient state;
• and
• k) adapting, via the processor based upon the gait analysis, the pre-selected temporal grid to adjust entrainment of the user's gait to the tempo of the audio biofeedback cues.