Real-Time Freezing of Gait Detection: Harnessing Advanced AI for Better Mobility

Freezing of Gait (FoG) represents a critical and debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease, posing significant challenges in patient mobility and safety. Numerous research efforts have focused on predicting the onset of FoG using wearable sensors and computational aids. However, the unpredictability and brief nature of FoG episodes complicate the ability to predict their onset in real-time, rendering timely detection a complex goal. In our study, we employed an Autoencoder-Wavenet network architecture designed to effectively utilize data from triaxial accelerometers and tri-axial gyroscopes positioned at the ankle. This approach allowed for a more nuanced analysis of movement patterns associated with FoG. Our findings indicated that this model successfully achieved a high level of accuracy in detecting FoG, with a specificity of 0.81, and sensitivity of 0.87. Furthermore, the model demonstrated the capability to provide real-time warnings of FoG onset, achieving a specificity of 0.68 and a sensitivity of 0.86. And an accuracy of 0.67 within a 1-second timeframe on the test set. Consequently, these results underscore the potential of our model in contributing to the real-time detection and management of FoG in Parkinson's disease patients.