Accuracy of force and center of pressure measures of the Wii Balance Board

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Harrison L. Bartlett, Georgia Institute of Technology; Lena Ting, Emory University; Jeffrey T. Bingham, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Language: English
• Date: 2014-01-01
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.07.010
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Gait and Posture
• ISSN: 0966-6362
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 224
• End Page: 228
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was funded by NIH R01 HD04922 to LHT.
• Keywords: Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Science & Technology; SYSTEM; Wii Balance Board; Orthopedics; Balance; POSTURAL CONTROL; REHABILITATION; FIT; Force plate; Neurosciences; Calibration; Neurosciences & Neurology; Sport Sciences; VIRTUAL-REALITY; Postural sway; FEAR
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) is increasingly used as an inexpensive force plate for assessment of postural control; however, no documentation of force and COP accuracy and reliability is publicly available. Therefore, we performed a standard measurement uncertainty analysis on 3 lightly and 6 heavily used WBBs to provide future users with information about the repeatability and accuracy of the WBB force and COP measurements. Across WBBs, we found the total uncertainty of force measurements to be within ±9.1. N, and of COP location within ±4.1. mm. However, repeatability of a single measurement within a board was better (4.5. N, 1.5. mm), suggesting that the WBB is best used for relative measures using the same device, rather than absolute measurement across devices. Internally stored calibration values were comparable to those determined experimentally. Further, heavy wear did not significantly degrade performance. In combination with prior evaluation of WBB performance and published standards for measuring human balance, our study provides necessary information to evaluate the use of the WBB for analysis of human balance control. We suggest the WBB may be useful for low-resolution measurements, but should not be considered as a replacement for laboratory-grade force plates.