GaitRate

Name: GaitRate
Author: Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech

EVALUATED

Assessed for usability and quality

For:Researchers & AcademicsClinicians & Healthcare Professionals

Free

Download on the App Store

App Summary

GaitRate is a mobile assessment tool that allows clinicians and researchers to measure gait speed and calculate corresponding survival estimates for older adults, designed to replace traditional stopwatch methods during home visits or field studies. An evaluation of gait speed assessment tools indicated that mobile apps are suitable for use in home visit settings, though providers in busy outpatient clinics preferred a hands-free, non-wearable system to minimize workflow disruption. The associated research concludes that hands-free, non-wearable solutions represent the optimal approach for integrating routine gait speed assessment into outpatient geriatric care.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

GaitRate functions as a mobile instrument for measuring gait speed, replacing traditional stopwatch methods. The system facilitates eyes-free operation, allowing clinicians to initiate and conclude timing via volume buttons over pre-set course lengths (3-5 meters). The application then calculates and displays gait speed in meters per second. An integrated estimation module allows for the input of age (65-95) and gender to generate prognostic median survival estimates derived from published normative data for older adults.

Evidence & Research Context

Gait speed assessment is an established clinical indicator of physical function, fall risk, and overall health status in geriatric populations, often termed the "sixth vital sign."
An evaluation study explored the practicality of the mobile application for routine use in outpatient clinics compared to a fully automated, hands-free sensor system.
The evaluation indicated that while the mobile application is a practical tool for environments such as home health visits, it is less suited for high-throughput outpatient clinics.
Healthcare professionals participating in the study expressed a preference for automated, non-wearable systems in outpatient settings to minimize workflow disruption.

Intended Use & Scope

This tool is intended for clinicians and researchers requiring a portable method for standardized gait speed measurement. Its primary utility is for rapid functional assessment in settings such as home health visits or field research. The app is a measurement aid, not a diagnostic instrument, and its survival estimates are population-based prognostic aids, not individual predictions.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Usability Study

Hands-Free, Nonwearable Technology for Outpatient Clinic Gait Speed Assessment

Vandenberg et al. (2019) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Healthcare providers strongly preferred the wall-mounted sensor over mobile apps for clinic use.

Gait speed is a critical indicator of physical function, fall risk, and overall health decline in older adults ("the sixth vital sign"), yet it is rarely measured in routine clinical practice due to workflow disruptions and the practical challenges of using stopwatches or wearable devices. To address this gap, researchers developed and evaluated a suite of measurement tools, including a smartphone application ("GaitRate") and a permanent, hands-free wall-mounted sensor system. Testing with healthcare professionals revealed that while mobile apps are suitable for home visits, they are less practical in busy outpatient clinics. Instead, providers overwhelmingly preferred the hands-free, wall-mounted system, which utilizes bi-directional sensors to automatically measure walking speed over a fixed distance. This technology minimizes staff burden and workflow interruption, suggesting that hands-free, non-wearable solutions are the optimal approach for integrating routine gait speed assessment into outpatient geriatric care.