Abstract:
This thesis describes the design, construction, and testing of a Wearable Knee Angle Sensor
(WKAS) device that measures knee flexion angle designed for operation in various
competitive sports. The requirement is to design a rugged wearable (i.e., low weight, low
profile) sensor that can be worn in game situations in contact sports. The sensor can be
used for performance assessment (e.g., leg motion while sprinting) and for injury
prevention (e.g., leg motion leading to specific injuries). An analysis of alternate sensor
options was conducted leading to selection of a Flex-Sensor. The WKAS was configured
with a Flex Sensor mounted in a sensor-sleeve behind the knee that is attached to a knee
sleeve. An Arduino was used to collect and process the data and stored it on an SD card.
The data from the SD card can then be downloaded and analyzed in visualization software
(simulation) developed in MATLAB. The accuracy of the sensor was assessed, and future
improvements are proposed.
