Validity of the Microsoft Kinect for measurement of neck angle: comparison with electrogoniometry

Considering the importance of evaluating working postures, many techniques and tools have been developed to identify and eliminate awkward postures and prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The introduction of the Microsoft Kinect sensor, which is a low-cost, easy to set up and markerless motion capture system, offers promising possibilities for postural studies.

Considering the Kinect's special ability in head-pose and facial-expression tracking and complexity of cervical spine movements, this study aimed to assess concurrent validity of the Microsoft Kinect against an electrogoniometer for neck angle measurements.

A special software program was developed to calculate the neck angle based on Kinect skeleton tracking data. Neck angles were measured simultaneously by electrogoniometer and the developed software program in 10 volunteers. The results were recorded in degrees and the time required for each method was also measured.

The Kinect's ability to identify body joints was reliable and precise. There was moderate to excellent agreement between the Kinect-based method and the electrogoniometer (paired-sample t test, p ≥ 0.25; intraclass correlation for test-retest reliability, ≥0.75).

Kinect-based measurement was much faster and required less equipment, but accurate measurement with Microsoft Kinect was only possible if the participant was in its field of view.