Method and apparatus for estimating a motion parameter

1. A method of estimating a motion parameter corresponding to a subject element in cyclical motion, the method comprising:

acquiring an acceleration measurement corresponding to at least one motion cycle;

determining a stride duration using the acceleration measurement;

low-pass filtering the acceleration measurement utilizing a cut-off frequency between about 0.5 Hz and 10 Hz:

calculating an acceleration magnitude using the filtered acceleration measurement;

for each motion cycle, generating a motion parameter metric utilizing the stride duration and acceleration magnitude; and

estimating the motion parameter using the motion parameter metric.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the motion parameter is estimated utilizing the motion parameter metric and a statistical model.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the statistical model is a regression model selected from the group consisting of a linear regression model, a polynomial regression model, a multiple-regression model, a piecewise-linear regression model, and combinations thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further including acquiring a plurality of acceleration measurements and generating the motion parameter metric utilizing the acceleration measurements.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cut-off frequency is generated using a stride frequency calculated from the acceleration measurements.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the estimated motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of stride speed, acceleration, velocity, stride distance, total distance, gait efficiency, power, energy, maximum impact, average calories consumed, maximum speed change, speed variability, and combinations thereof.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the motion parameter corresponds to a stride speed and the motion parameter metric is at least partially generated by performing an integration of a function of the acceleration magnitude.

8. An apparatus operable to estimate a motion parameter corresponding to a subject element, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of accelerometers each operable to provide a signal corresponding to an acceleration measurement, at least two of the accelerometers being adapted to measure accelerations in two directions separated by an angle greater than zero degrees; and

a processing system coupled with one or more of the accelerometers, the processing system operable to:

calculate a stride duration using at least one of the acceleration measurements,

low-pass filter the signals corresponding to the acceleration measurements utilizing a cut-off frequency between about 0.5 Hz and 10 Hz,

calculate an acceleration magnitude using the acceleration measurements corresponding to the filtered signals,

generate a motion parameter metric utilizing the stride duration and acceleration magnitude, and

estimate the motion parameter using the motion parameter metric and a statistical regression model.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the motion parameter corresponds to a stride speed and the motion parameter metric is at least partially generated by performing an integration of a function of the acceleration magnitude.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the apparatus includes at least three accelerometers adapted to measure accelerations in three directions each separated by an angle greater than zero degrees.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the processing system is further operable to limit acceleration measurements to within a specific dynamic range.