Generalized mathematical representation of the soft tissue artefact

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Motion Analysis
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Stereophotogrammetry is used for skeletal movement reconstruction.
• Soft tissue artefact (STA) is the relative movement between skin markers and bone.
• STA also encompasses variations in marker clusters and skin envelope shape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a generalized mathematical representation for STA.
• To develop a model applicable to various STA definitions.
• To enable selection of STA models based on complexity and accuracy trade-offs.

Main Methods:

• A modal approach was employed to decompose STA into additive components (modes).
• Modes were ranked based on their contribution to STA reconstruction.
• Literature review and ex-vivo experimental data were utilized.

Main Results:

• The modal approach allows for ranking and selection of STA modes.
• Different STA definitions result in varying numbers of parameters.
• A trade-off between model complexity and effectiveness was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The proposed generalized mathematical representation of STA is effective.
• The modal approach facilitates the selection of optimal STA models.
• This work aids in developing more accurate bone pose estimators by managing STA.