A search on the Web of Knowledge for scientific articles that include ��gait�� in the title shows more than 3,400 publications between 2012 and 2013. Since research on this type of analysis was first begun in the 19th century, it has centered on achieving quantitative objective measurement of the different parameters that characterize gait in order to apply them to various fields such as sports [1�C3], identification of people for security purposes [4�C7], and medicine [8�C10].If we centre on the medical field, changes in gait reveal key information about persons�� quality of life. This is of special interest when searching for reliable information on the evolution of different diseases: (a) neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s; (b) systemic diseases such as cardiopathies (in which gait is clearly affected); (c) alterations in deambulation dynamic due to sequelae from stroke and (d) diseases caused by ageing, which affect a large percentage of the population.

Accurate reliable knowledge of gait characteristics at a given time, and even more importantly, monitoring and evaluating them over time, will enable early diagnosis of diseases and their complications and help to find the best treatment.The traditional scales used to analyse gait parameters in clinical conditions are semi-subjective, carried out by specialists who observe the quality of a patient’s gait by making him/her walk. This is sometimes followed by a survey in which the patient is asked to give a subjective evaluation of the quality of his/her gait.

The disadvantage of these methods is that they give subjective measurements, particularly concerning accuracy and precision, which have a negative effect on the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of the pathologies.In contrast to this background, progress in new technologies has given Entinostat rise to devices and techniques which allow an objective evaluation of different gait parameters, resulting in more efficient measurement and providing specialists with a large amount of reliable information on patients�� gaits. This reduces the error margin caused by subjective techniques.These technological devices used to study the human gait can be classified according to two different approaches: those based on non-wearable sensors (NWS) or on wearable sensors (WS).

NWS systems require the use of controlled research facilities where the sensors are located and capture data on the gait while the subject walks on a clearly marked walkway. In contrast, WS systems make it possible to analyse data outside the laboratory and capture information about the human gait during the person’s everyday activities. There is also a third group of hybrid systems that use a combination of both methods.NWS systems can be classified into two subgroups: (1) those based on image processing (IP); and (2) those based on floor sensors (FS).