Gait guidance using rhythm synchronization with auditory cues and walking avatar in augmented reality

摘要

This study aimed to guide people’s gait cycle via rhythm synchronization of their gait with the virtualwalking avatar and auditory cues in the augmented reality. We proposed the method to synchronize human’s footcontacts with the avatar’s foot contacts and auditory cues using a phase oscillator model. Using the human’s footcontact timing measured by the human’s head acceleration, the system estimated the human’s gait phase andsynchronized the system phase with the human’s phase. This system phase was used to determine timing of theavatar’s foot contact and auditory cues. The avatar and auditory cues were presented using a wearable device. Toincrease or decrease the target phase difference between the human and system, we controlled timing of the avatarfoot contacts and auditory cues to follow or precede the human’s foot contact, respectively. In the evaluationexperiment, the participants walked with the proposed system under three sensory conditions: only avatar, onlyauditory cues and both conditions. When the avatar’s foot contacts and auditory cues preceded or followed theparticipant’s foot contacts by changing the target phase difference, the participants’ gait cycle decreased or increased,respectively. Therefore, the proposed system successfully guided the people’s gait cycles.