Hi Ebenezer

Thanks for your email. I'm not sure I fully understand your question from how it is phrased - you mean that it is assumed people think force platforms and force plates are different but you wish to classify them as the seperate? Force plates/platforms generally return the GRF from a load cell (transducer - the GRF is proportional to the load applied) but GaitRite (or similar) return pressure sensing once a certain set pressure has been reached on its input, a binary (on/off) response. 

Thank you, Dr. Godfrey, for the reply.

Force plate and platforms are considered the same and used interchangeably (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_platform). I thought of defining them as two different instruments as specified above in my paper. Am I allowed to do this?

Yes, I don't see why not, as long as you clearly define what each is quantifying from the outset of your paper/work.

To me (or how I would define it in my head): the "plate" / "platform" terminology - the former being a single device for use during a single footfall or individual step analysis during the gait cycle, the latter an array of "plates" that could capture sequential strides/steps during many gait cycle (prolonged walk). However, this again is dependent on what the plate or array of plates are measuring, GRF or pressure.

Hope that helps

Thanks again, Dr. Godfrey. I'll confirm to your suggestion.

Dear Isaac,

I understand you have 2 different force platforms.

If this is correct than you shouldn't compare the results from the 2 platform for they might give you errors. You can analyze only the results from a specific platform.

From my knowledge there isn't any standard regarding this types of analysis so it depends on you and the editor to get a solution.

Good luck.