Use of the Nintendo Wii Balance Board for Studying Standing Static Balance Control: Technical Considerations, Force-Plate Congruency, and the Effect of Battery Life

• Published in: Journal of applied biomechanics Vol. 33; no. 1; p. 48
• Main Authors: Weaver, Tyler B, Ma, Christine, Laing, Andrew C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2017
• Subjects: Computers, Handheld; Electric Power Supplies; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Female; Humans; Male; Manometry - instrumentation; Manometry - methods; Mobile Applications; Neurologic Examination - instrumentation; Neurologic Examination - methods; Postural Balance - physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Technology Assessment, Biomedical; Video Games; Young Adult; ground reaction force; center of pressure; postural sway; balance control
• ISSN: 1543-2688
• DOI: 10.1123/jab.2015-0295

The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) has become popular as a low-cost alternative to research-grade force plates. The purposes of this study were to characterize a series of technical specifications for the WBB, to compare balance control metrics derived from time-varying center of pressure (COP) signals collected simultaneously from a WBB and a research-grade force plate, and to investigate the effects of battery life. Drift, linearity, hysteresis, mass accuracy, uniformity of response, and COP accuracy were assessed from a WBB. In addition, 6 participants completed an eyes-closed quiet standing task on the WBB (at 3 battery life levels) mounted on a force plate while sway was simultaneously measured by both systems. Characterization results were all associated with less than 1% error. R
values reflecting WBB sensor linearity were > .99. Known and measured COP differences were lowest at the center of the WBB and greatest at the corners. Between-device differences in quiet stance COP summary metrics were of limited clinical significance. Lastly, battery life did not affect WBB COP accuracy, but did influence 2 of 8 quiet stance WBB parameters. This study provides general support for the WBB as a low-cost alternative to research-grade force plates for quantifying COP movement during standing.