Title: Alignment error compensation of an MEMS-based balance trainer measurement system

Authors: Clemens Ambrozy; Frank Rattay

Addresses: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical University Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria ' Institute for Analysis und Scientific Computing, Technical University Vienna, Wiedner Hauptstr, 8, 1040 Vienna, Austria

Abstract: For carrying out a balance study, a measurement system was developed to measure the inclination of a balance training platform. The measurement of this inclination is carried out with the help of a dual-axis micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) inclination sensor. Due to manufacturing reasons, the inclination sensor is not exactly aligned on the training platform. This alignment error is compensated with the help of a correction algorithm. The correction algorithm developed for this purpose uses calibration values. Prior to each measurement, the calibration values are determined and stored in a file and are subsequently used for online correction while the measurements are taken. These calibration values are necessary for online correction during a measuring. The applied misalignment correction algorithm is based on the dependency of the x-inclination to the y-inclination and of the y-inclination to the x-inclination.

Keywords: inclination sensors; alignment errors; calibration values; correction algorithm; error compensation; MEMS; microelectromechanical systems; balance training platforms; inclination measurement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMEI.2015.068507

International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics, 2015 Vol.7 No.2, pp.142 - 155

Received: 30 Nov 2013
Accepted: 08 Jul 2014

Published online: 04 Apr 2015 *

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