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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(1); doi: 10.3390/ani13010183

Efficient Development of Gait Classification Models for Five-Gaited Horses Based on Mobile Phone Sensors.

Abstract: Automated gait classification has traditionally been studied using horse-mounted sensors. However, smartphone-based sensors are more accessible, but the performance of gait classification models using data from such sensors has not been widely known or accessible. In this study, we performed horse gait classification using deep learning models and data from mobile phone sensors located in the rider's pocket. We gathered data from 17 horses and 14 riders. The data were gathered simultaneously from movement sensors in a mobile phone located in the rider's pocket and a gait classification system based on four wearable sensors attached to the horse's limbs. With this efficient approach to acquire labelled data, we trained a Bi-LSTM model for gait classification. The only input to the model was a 50 Hz signal from the phone's accelerometer and gyroscope that was rotated to the horse's frame of reference. We demonstrate that sensor data from mobile phones can be used to classify the five gaits of the Icelandic horse with up to 94.4% accuracy. The result suggests that horse riding activities can be studied at a large scale using mobile phones to gather data on gaits. While our study showed that mobile phone sensors could be effective for gait classification, there are still some limitations that need to be addressed in future research. For example, further studies could explore the effects of different riding styles or equipment on gait classification accuracy or investigate ways to minimize the influence of factors such as phone placement. By addressing these questions, we can continue to improve our understanding of horse gait and its role in horse riding activities.
Publication Date: 2023-01-03 PubMed ID: 36611791PubMed Central: PMC9817528DOI: 10.3390/ani13010183Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research article focuses on the development of an efficient model for classifying horse gaits using mobile phone sensors, resulting in an accuracy of up to 94.4%.

Objective of the Study

  • The main goal of the study was to demonstrate the capabilities of mobile phone sensors in accurately classifying different horse gaits. While previous research leaned towards using horse-mounted sensors, this study focused on innovatively harnessing easily accessible mobile phone sensors.

Methodology of the Study

  • Data was collected from 17 horses and 14 riders. The horses had sensors attached to their limbs while the riders carried mobile phones in their pockets.
  • This approach intended to gather labeled data from both horse-based wearable sensors and mobile phone ones simultaneously, providing a more comprehensive data pool.
  • This collected data was then used to train a Bi-LSTM (Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory) model, a type of deep learning neural network.
  • The only input to the model was a 50Hz signal from the phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope, rotated to match the horse’s frame of reference.

Results of the Study

  • The mobile phone-based gait classification model successfully managed to classify the five gaits of the Icelandic horse with an accuracy of up to 94.4%.
  • This result affirms the viability of using mobile phone sensors for large-scale studies of horse gaits during riding activities, offering a cost-efficient and accessible alternative to traditional horse-mounted sensors.

Limitations and Future Recommendations

  • Despite the promising results, the study acknowledged several limitations that require further research, such as the influence of differing riding styles or equipment on the accuracy of gait classification.
  • The model could also be improved by finding ways to minimize the impact of factors like the placement of the phone.
  • Addressing these limitations can potentially enhance the accuracy and versatility of gait classification models and increase our understanding of horse gait dynamics in a variety of horse riding scenarios.

Cite This Article

APA
Davíðsson HB, Rees T, Ólafsdóttir MR, Einarsson H. (2023). Efficient Development of Gait Classification Models for Five-Gaited Horses Based on Mobile Phone Sensors. Animals (Basel), 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010183

Publication

ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 1

Researcher Affiliations

Davíðsson, Haraldur B
  • Department of Computer Science, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.
  • Horseday ehf., 102 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Rees, Torben
  • TöltSense Ltd., Newton Abbot TQ12 5ND, UK.
Ólafsdóttir, Marta Rut
  • Horseday ehf., 102 Reykjavík, Iceland.
Einarsson, Hafsteinn
  • Department of Computer Science, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.

Grant Funding

  • Icelandic directorate of labour
  • Horseday ehf.
  • The University of Iceland

Conflict of Interest Statement

H.E. declares no conflict of interest. H.B.D.’s work in the summer of 2021 was partially funded by Horseday ehf., and he has been employed by Horseday ehf. since the fall of 2021. M.R.Ó. is a shareholder of Horseday ehf., and T.R. is the owner of Toltsense Ltd.

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