title: Accuracy of force and center of pressure measures of the Wii Balance Board.
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 ± 9.1N, and of COP location within ± 4.1mm. However, repeatability of a single measurement within a board was better (4.5 N, 1.5mm), 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.
authors.affiliation: Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Harrison L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: Lena H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bingham
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018910:Video Games
keywords: Balance; Calibration; Force plate; Postural sway; Wii Balance Board
references.citation: J Athl Train. 2008 Sep-Oct;43(5):456-63
references.pmid: 18833307
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2012 Jul;36(3):430-3
references.pmid: 22534562
references.citation: Physiotherapy. 2012 Sep;98(3):211-6
references.pmid: 22898577
references.citation: J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2012 Apr-Jun;35(2):95-104
references.pmid: 22441325
references.citation: Physiotherapy. 2012 Sep;98(3):183-8
references.pmid: 22898573
references.citation: Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Jul;93(7):1138-46
references.pmid: 22414490
references.citation: Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2012 May;7(3):205-10
references.pmid: 22117107
references.citation: Trials. 2011 Jun 18;12:155
references.pmid: 21682909
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2010 Mar;31(3):307-10
references.pmid: 20005112
references.citation: Stud Health Technol Inform. 2010;154:229-34
references.pmid: 20543303
references.citation: J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2011 May 23;8:30
references.pmid: 21600066
references.citation: Biomed Sci Instrum. 2011;47:12-7
references.pmid: 21525589
references.citation: Physiotherapy. 2012 Sep;98(3):189-95
references.pmid: 22898574
references.citation: Mo Med. 2011 Mar-Apr;108(2):128-32
references.pmid: 21568236
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2011 Feb;33(2):303-5
references.pmid: 21087865
references.citation: J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012 Apr;41 Suppl 1:S31-5
references.pmid: 22569047
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2013 Feb;37(2):290-2
references.pmid: 22889928
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2012 Jul;36(3):605-8
references.pmid: 22748469
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2011 Jun;34(2):288-91
references.pmid: 21570290