Estimation of Human Moving Behavior by Using Acceleration and Air Pressure

Abstract

This paper describes an estimation method of several kinds of human moving behavior by using an acceleration signal and short term change of air pressure. The proposed method classifies the human behavior into normal walk, going up/down the stairs and going up/down in an elevator. The slight change of the air pressure during vertical movement is measured by a processing circuit constructed by using a Kalman filter which generates the signal corresponding to short term movement. The circuit also reduces noises caused by the change of weather and the internal noise. Periodic change of foot-to-head acceleration results from stepping action and the amplitude of the acceleration classifies human behaviors into a static state and a normal pace. The sign of the air pressure variation measured from the processing circuit determines the direction of vertical movement. A combination of these features gives a reliable estimation of human moving behavior. Level walk is estimated from the stepping action and the horizontal movement. Going up/down the stairs can be estimated from the stepping action and the vertical movement, while going up/down in the elevator comes from the static state and vertical movement. Several subjects are ordered to walk on the level ground, go up/down the stairs and go up/down in the elevator. The acceleration and the air pressure variation are measured and analyzed. Estimation results show that the proposed method is highly accurate to distinguish the human moving behavior at the rate of more than 95%.