Optimizing wearable IMU configurations for running gait analysis: a machine learning-based sensor fusion approach

Objective This study applies machine learning (ML) techniques to address this hardware limitation by determining the feasibility of reducing a high-dimensional 17-sensor network to a “minimal-optimal” subset without compromising measurement accuracy. Unlike previous studies focusing on activity classification, we systematically quantify the information redundancy in kinematic chains to optimize sensor fusion architectures. Methods Twenty-five recreational runners performed treadmill protocols at three speeds (8, 10, and 12 km/h) while wearing a gold-standard Xsens MVN system (17 IMUs). Raw accelerometer and gyroscope signals were programmatically subsetted to simulate minimal configurations. A Random Forest (RF) regression model was selected after benchmarking against baseline Linear Regression and deep learning (LSTM) models. A comprehensive vector of time-and frequency-domain features was extracted via sliding windows, and Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) was applied to identify the most critical signal attributes. Results Analysis revealed that a single lumbosacral IMU could successfully reconstruct global parameters (Cadence, Vertical Oscillation, Ground Contact Time) with high precision ( R 2 > 0.95 , M A P E < 5 % ), outperforming standard commercial benchmarks. However, this single-node setup failed to detect gait asymmetry ( R 2 = 0.52 ). A distributed three-sensor fusion configuration (Lumbosacral + Bilateral Ankles) resolved this limitation, achieving results comparable to the full-body system for all parameters ( R 2 > 0.91 , M A P E = 7.12 % ). Performance remained robust across all running speeds, with only a marginal accuracy drop at 12 km/h. Conclusion This study validates a machine learning framework for optimizing sensor array design. The proposed three-sensor fusion offers a robust, low-cost architectural blueprint for next-generation wearable devices, proving that complex deep learning is not always required when sensor placement is biomechanically optimized.