Variability in the length and frequency of steps of sighted and visually impaired walkers

Abstract: The variability of the length and frequency of steps was measured in sighted and visually impaired walkers at three different paces. The variability was low, especially at the preferred pace, and similar for both groups. A model incorporating step counts and step frequency provides good estimates of the distance traveled. Applications to wayfinding technology are discussed. Many thanks to members of the Minnesota Laboratory for Low Vision Research for their assistance, especially Rudrava Roy for writing the software program interfaced to the pedometer system and MiYoung Kwon for help in preparing the manuscript. We also thank Scott Kalpin for his helpful discussion and for supplying the computer-readable pedometer. This research wa