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. 2023 Jul 19;23(14):6535. doi: 10.3390/s23146535

Table 5.

Studies that measured elbow joint angles using IMUs, including their sample size, study quality, sensor-to-segment calibration method, sensor-fusion approach, joint-angle calculation method, tasks performed, kinematic errors, and associated error metric when comparing joint angles with those calculated using an optoelectronic motion analysis system. Kinematic errors and error ranges [square brackets] are given. Error metrics with “r” represent the right side of the body only. Acronyms used include PSA, predefined sensor alignment; PA, proprietary algorithm; KF, Kalman filter; F/E, flexion/extension; P/S, Pronation/supination; IN/EX, internal/external rotation; EAD, Euler angle decomposition; FJM, functional joint movement; MFC, Magnetic field calibration; ABV, angle between vectors.

Study Sample Quality Score Calibration Sensor Fusion Joint Angle
Calculation
Task Error Metric Kinematic Errors
F/E P/S
[101] n = 1 16 FJM KF Rotation matrix, least square filter Eating
routine
RMSE 21° /
Grooming routine /
[30] n = 1 16 PSA, static Xsens KF EAD Elbow F/E and P/S RMSE [0.2°, 3.2°] [0.2°, 3.2°]
[66] n = 1 19 PSA Xsens KF EAD Elbow flexion and P/S Peak error 5.8° 24.1°
Water serving Mean error 18.6° 11.7°
[61] n = 4 15 PSA, static Unscented KF Forward kinematics Arbitrary
movement
RMSE 6.2° 13.0°
[67] n = 8 16 Static Unscented KF Forward kinematics Elbow F/E RMSE 6.5° /
Elbow P/S / 5.5°
[94] n = 1 16 PSA Xsens KF ABV Elbow F/E Mean error ± SD −0.54° ± 2.63° /
Elbow P/S / −5.16° ± 4.5°
[95] n = 1 18 PSA InvenSense PA, MFC EAD Reaching RMSE 7.9° 1.5°
[36] n = 10 21 PSA, static, FJM Xsens KF EAD Elbow F/E RMSE ± SD 18.7° ± 2.7° /
Elbow P/S / 15.8° ± 6.3°
Rotating wheel 20.0° ± 3.7° /
[92] n = 12 20 FJM KF EAD Miscellaneous Proportional & Systematic error 0.00X
+2.00°
−0.00Z
−1.20°
[96] n = 8 22 PSA, static Gradient decent EAD Simulated front crawl RMSE 15° 10°
Simulated breaststroke
[82] n = 3 9 / Invensense PA INMOCAP PA Elbow F/E %RMSE 2.44% /
[75] n = 1 18 Static,
auto-calibration
Xsens KF Kinematic constraint,
EAD
Door opening RMSE 2.7° 3.8°
[77] n =1 13 Joint axis optimization Xsens KF,
MFC
Kinematic constraint,
EAD
Pick-and-place, Mean error ± SD 4.09° ± 3.43° −5.16° ± 6.63°
drinking
[111] n = 15 18 FJM, static YEI PA EAD Elbow F/E RMSE /
Elbow P/S /
[68] n = 6 19 PSA, static Xsens KF EAD Mimic surgery RMSE 8.2° ± 2.8° /
[97] n = 12 20 Static,
FJM
Xsens KF EAD Box moving RMSE 6.2° 12.2°
[69] n = 14 16 PSA, static iSen PA iSen PA Elbow F/E RMSE 27.1° /
[93] n = 14 16 IMU caliper Xsens KF EAD Elbow F/E RMSE 1.9° ± 2.6° /
Elbow P/S / 2.9° ± 1.6
[41] n = 10 21 Static, FJM, optimization KF, TRIAD EAD Yoga sequence RMSE 3.3°
[70] n = 6 14 Static MFC, gradient decent ABV Simulated rowing % Mean error ± SD r 2.19% ± 1.23% /
[98] n = 10 19 Static Xsens KF Xsens PA Military movements RMSE ± SD r 10.9° ± 5.3° 40.5° ± 27.6°
[99] n = 5 19 Static Perception Neuron PA EAD Box moving RMSE 14.9° 14.3°
[108] n = 10 18 Static,
FJM
Xsens KF Xsens PA Gymnastics move RMSE 4.2° /
[78] n = 10 10 Static Madgwick filter Euler angle Walking %RMSE (r) 5.80% /
[113] n = 1 21 Static,
MFC, FJM
Madgwick filter ABV Elbow F/E RMSE (r) 8.23° /
Elbow F/E with P/S 9.36° /
Walking 5.98° /
Simulated front crawl 5.6° /
Simulated rowing 6.53° /
[71] n = 10 18 Static Xsens KF Xsens PA Box moving RMSE (r) 28.2 /
Box elevation 30.7 /
Reaching at head height 34.2 /
[110] n = 29 18 Static,
functional
Xsens KF Xsens PA Tennis ball hitting RMSE 1.5° 13.1°
[73] / 10 Static ADIS16448 PA ABV Rowing Mean absolute error (r) 3.28° /
[91] n = 10 18 Static,
functional
Orthogonalization, drift compensation EAD Yoga sequence Mean absolute error
[83] n = 1 17 Static KF Rotation about fixed axis Elbow F/E RMSE 3.82° /
Elbow P/S / 3.46°
[84] n = 1 21 Static KF EAD Nordic walking Mean error (r) 23.7° /
[72] n = 10 17 Static Perception Neuron PA / Stationary walk RMSE ± SD 3.4° ± 2.15° /
Distance walk 2.04° ± 1.48° /
Stationary jog 3.89° ± 2.96° /
Distance jog 1.92° ± 1.0° /
Stationary ball shot 2.81° ± 2.18° /
Moving ball shot 3.2° ± 1.75° /
[52] n = 2 20 Kinematic constraint, optimization 6D VQF EAD Pick-and-place, drinking RMSE 2.1° 3.7°
[112] n = 15 18 Static, FJM Notch PA Notch PA Tennis hitting RMSE 5.76° 6.66°
[74] n = 15 17 Static pose Notch PA Notch PA Elbow F/E Mean error ± SD 17.55° ± 3.28° /
Hand-to-contralateral-shoulder 9.91° ± 3.18° /
Hand-to-top-of-head 3.34° ± 3.48° /
[81] n = 5 19 PSA, static Mahony filter Inverse kinematics Fugl-Meyer task RMSE 5.2° ± 2.1° /
[106] n = 10 19 Static, FJM Unscented KF EAD Yoga sequence RMSE 2.96° ± 0.95° 6.79° ± 2.31°
[88] n = 7 20 Static Perception Neuron PA EAD Flexion RMSE 8.7° /
Extension 5.8° /
Pronation 7.2°
Supination / 7.8°
Box lifting 12.5° 9.5°
[89] n = 1 12 Regression modelling gForcePro+ PA ABV Grasping RMSE 3.4° 3.9°